Different Kind Of Knight
by MAIGRLCHLOE
Summary: The Uniter is falling love with a human and one kiss could prove fatal The Mai race rests on Aleks shoulders and his heart yearns for the pretty blonde girl he goes to school with will he give in and kiss her signing her death certificate or will he not
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I dont own Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writting.**

**I hope you guys like this new story.**

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><p>Amy and I walked towards the club. We were incredibly excited. Amy had just turned 16 and not only had she driven us here in her brand new car but we were totally free tonight! We were going to this really cool club that all of the juniors and seniors at our school went to. We got all dressed up and if I do say so myself we looked pretty hot. I was wearing a silver t-shirt dress that was covered in sequins and skin tight with a pair of black peep-toe high heels. Amy was wearing one of her crazy concoctions but she could pull it off and looked just as cute. I was hoping that I'd get my first kiss tonight, I was three months away from being 16 and I had yet to be kissed, or even go on a date.<p>

I felt Amy nudge me in the side and I looked up. Coming towards us was a group of guys. They looked our way and smiled and as I made eye contact with the one at the head I felt myself pitch forward. I couldn't believe that I had tripped, I was so embarrassed, couldn't I catch a break just once? My heel had gotten stuck in a crack and broke but instead of my face landing in the street like I had expected, strong arms caught me. I looked up into the most beautiful brown eyes I'd ever seen. Alek Petrov, the king of the school and the subject of every girl's dreams. He pulled me up to my feet making sure I had my balance before he let me go. "Careful there, wouldn't want to ruin what was perfect." He said looking me over. I smiled, ducking my head as I murmured some kind of thank you and then awkwardly ran off with Amy. Let me tell you it's really hard to know that the hottest guy I've ever seen is watching me as I hobble off to the club with my friend missing a four inch heel. I heard the group of guys laugh and turned to watch them. Alek was still watching me and he waved slightly, just wiggling his fingers at me, before turning to go with the rest of his group. I smiled back and nodded my head before turning around and following Amy inside. She of course pulled me right to the bathroom where it was quiet enough to talk.

"Alek just caught you! And he complimented you!" Amy squealed inside. I nodded and smiled excitedly.

"I know, but I'm sure he was just trying to make me feel better, I did look like an idiot out there."

"I wish my heel had broken so he could catch me." She said.

"Hmm, but what do I do with the said heel?" Amy bent over wrenching my foot out from under me and slipped my shoe off. She whacked the heel on the edge of the sink and I watched as my favorite pair of heels became my favorite pair of flats. She handed the shoe to me and smiled proudly.

"I'm not going to let your shoe problems ruin my 16th birthday." She said. I slipped the shoe back on my foot and looked down at my feet. They weren't perfect, not as comfortable but they would do. Amy grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the dance floor. She wormed her way to the middle, dragging me with her. It was warmer here than it was on the edge and everyone was closer to each other. We danced all night enjoying every moment of our freedom. My mom thought we were just doing our normal tres amigos thing, and Amy's dads thought the same thing. No one knew that Amy and I were actually clubbing. It felt kind of good. I was never the bad girl, anything but actually. My mom always knew what was going on in my life, always knew where I was, what I was doing, even what I was thinking. That's fine I love my mom and I'm glad we share that kind of bond but, now, knowing that no one knows where I am or what I'm doing is filling me with the adrenaline that is keeping me going right now. I felt a guy's hands slide onto my hips as he sidled up to me. I turned around and realized he was really cute. I smiled and I danced with him for a couple of songs. No matter how hard I tried though I could get those chocolate brown eyes out of my head, the ones that had looked so deeply into mine in only a matter of seconds. I couldn't get the feeling of his hands on my arms to go away either. Alek Petrov, the sexy brit, basketball star, dreamy sex god and completely out of my reach. Why did I have to set my heart on something so unattainable? Why couldn't I have fallen for a guy who was more, well, in my league?

The next day at school was rough. We'd stayed out way to late and Amy and I were both crazy tired. I almost fell asleep in homeroom. Not that homeroom isn't boring but it's only fifteen minutes of the day. I knew that today was going to be very long. I was so tired that I could hardly see through my lashes that were slowly and slowly getting closer together as my eye lids that felt like two ton bricks closed –even while walking down the hall- but my feet and legs were killing me. The heel/flats might have looked cute and even gotten the job done but they were the least comfortable slabs of plastic to dance on until 3 in the morning. I was walking down the hall now, half asleep and lamenting every step when a very large someone bumped into my shoulder. Before I knew it my bag was slipping off my shoulder and spilling everywhere. I looked down and the spilled personal contents of my converse bag and sank to my knees to pick it up. Longest day ever, I could just feel it. The hall was clearing thankfully making it easier to grab things that had gone skidding across the lovely grey linoleum floor of the hall. I had just crawled over to get one of the said items when I saw a pair of black combat boots untied at the top with jeans stuffed into them standing right in front of me. "This yours?" The voice belonging to the boots asked. I followed the perfectly muscled legs up to the face admiring every inch in between. Alek crouched down and held out a little silver makeup bag. My eyes nearly popped out of my head as I realized what he was holding. It was not makeup in that little silver Clinique bag. I quickly took it from him and shoved my cleverly disguised tampon bag back in my purse. I nodded vigorously continuing to shove things in my bag as my cheeks got progressively redder. He continued to gather things and hand them to me. I could see him smirking as he did so which only made me more embarrassed. When everything was back in my bag he helped me to my feet and I mumbled something that I hope resembled a thank you and sped away down the hall. It wasn't until I got to my locker that I realized he had followed me. He leaned against the lockers next to mine his arms folded loosely over his taught chest and tighter shirt. I looked over at him out of the corner of my eye and saw him smirk at me and then he turned so that he was facing me. "King, right?" he asked. I nodded and continued to fiddle around in my locker. "How did your clubbing experience go last night?" He asked.

"Good." I squeaked, mentally face palming myself for my voice cracking.

"You looked really good last night, today too." He said looking me over once. I smiled and looked down, flushing again I'm sure. He waited for a minute before continuing. "I'll see you around, King." He told me. "You seem to need my help a lot anyway." He laughed lightly as he said it, but something about the way he said it wasn't insulting. He wasn't trying to make fun of me, just make conversation. I watched him as he left wishing I could come up with something to say back, something that would make me seem witty and smart but nothing was coming to my head except for how damn good he looked in those jeans.

School was finally over after what felt like a life time and, to my relief or maybe not, there were no more run ins with Alek. I saw him a few times like at lunch when I walked by the table he was sitting at and saw him smile at me. I waved back but made sure it was small and unnoticeable to anyone but him, after all I didn't want to make it seem like I was as head over heels for him as I really was. I could be just a charity case for him, or a dare- it wouldn't be the first time that the popular crowd had pulled in an unsuspecting and naïve underdog in a game. Other than that, I was still the nonexistent Chloe King. I was still incredibly tired when I got to work that afternoon but after grabbing myself a venti caramel macchiato I was at least awake enough to deal with Lana and fold clothes. It was uneventful for the most part and only a few customers came in. I spent most of my time tagging new clothes that had come in and putting them away. I was putting a stack of printed tees, unfortunately they were on the top shelf. I was on the top stair of a stepping stool and leaning to the side trying to get the flimsy tee shirts to go up on the shelf without looking crappy and balancing on one foot when I heard Lana yell at me. "Chloe!" This startled me and in turning to look at my boss I lost my balance and started to fall. Unfortunately all of the shirts that were in my hand and the ones that were on the shelf already fell with me as I skillfully knocked them off the shelf. Instead of the hard floor of the store though I found myself wrapped tightly in one arm and instead of some twenty odd shirts landing on my head I saw another hand shoving them back up onto the shelf. I looked up over my shoulder and saw Alek smirking down at me. I suddenly became very aware of his arm under my breasts and tried to stand up but my booted foot tried to grab footing on a shirt and slipped out from under me causing me to slip down even further in his hold. He finished pushing the shirts back up onto the shelf and then reached down, quickly turning me around in his arms so I was facing him and placing me on my feet as well. "I told you, you needed me." He said.

"Well, aren't you just a regular white knight." I told him pushing my hair behind my ear. I smiled internally at what I had said.

He took a step towards me and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "More of a grey knight, less guilt when I get laid." I instantly blushed and looked down. "Don't worry, you're too innocent for me." He said stepping away. That angered me slightly. I looked up and took a step towards him. My lips were only inches from his.

"I'm not as innocent as you think, Petrov" I told him. He placed his hands on my hips and lifted me up off the ground placing me on the step stool.

"I bet you aren't, but I don't have time to find out today. It will have to wait." He said before leaving. He disappeared quite quickly and I didn't understand what had happened. He had been taunting me and then when I played back he ran away. It was Alek Petrov, he had been around, at least that was the rumor. Now that I think about it though, I'd never actually seen him kiss anyone. Maybe he was a private person, maybe he didn't date girls from our school, or maybe it was all just an act. The last was hard to believe- but maybe he was just as innocent as I was.

My assumption was proved wrong over the coming week. There was no way that a guy with moves like Alek was innocent. He knew every move in the book, written every line of it too, I'm sure. He was the subject of every girl's dreams for a reason. I'd seen him around school with a couple of girls always very close when he spoke and he always had that smirk on his face, that smirk that gave him that boyish innocence but let any girl know that he knew exactly what she thinking about at that exact moment. He wasn't as innocent as I was, so what. That didn't matter. I could play at a game just as well as he could. Well, maybe not as good. After all I was invisible to most of the school and there was no way I was going to hook up with one of the guys who actually did acknowledge my existence. They would not make Alek jealous, they wouldn't even make him notice. I looked down at the jeans and t-shirt I was wearing and wished I had dressed up a little today. I turned around and buried my head in my locker trying to not pay attention to the spectacle down the hall. Alek was talking to a cheer leader. Sierra was leaning against the lockers one foot braced against the metal wall behind her. Alek's hand was placed to the left of her head as he leaned toward her. His legs straddled her one that was bent and he was only a few inches from the giggling cheerleader. I knew I was talking to myself mimicking the conversation I knew was happening. "Oh, Alek, you are just so hot I just want to bang you all night long" I said in a falsetto that of course didn't resemble Sierra's deep and sensual voice but made me feel better.

"I didn't know you felt so passionate about me, King." I froze when I heard that accented comment. It was a lot closer than it should have been. I pulled my head out of my locker and looked over my shoulder. Alek was standing right there, that adorably aggravating smirk across his face.

"I- I- I wasn't speaking about me." I told him. "I was mocking Sierra."

"Oh really?" he said raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I was mocking."

"She didn't say anything of the kind."

"Not with her words." I grumbled turning back to my locker.

"Don't worry, King, if you want me to yourself all you have to do is say so. You're pretty; I can't say I'm not attracted to you." He looped a finger through my belt loop and tugged lightly. I looked down at his hand attached to my jeans and then looked up at him.

"I don't want-" I had to swallow my throat was starting to close up, "you, Alek Petrov" I looked him up and down once. "I want a guy who would be faithful to me; you are too big a flirt."

"Are you suggesting that I whore around?" He asked, smiling. He pulled me into him and my hip hit against him.

"N-no. That's not what I said." I stuttered. I could feel every part of his body against mine and I didn't like what it was doing to me. "I just meant- meant" he continued to pull on me, "meant that I I'd want someone that wanted me only."

"Who says I don't?" He asked his lips barely brushing mine as he spoke.

"You flirt with everything that moves." I told him stepping away. I went back to my locker. I thought I saw a moment of relief flash through his eyes but I couldn't be sure.

"Any other girl would have kissed me, you're different King I like that." He took a step back like he was going to leave. "I don't flirt with everything that moves, and just to prove it I won't go out on a date with anyone until you agree to go out with me." He said.

"What about the homecoming dance? You already asked Bethany." I reminded him.

"I'll break it off. I'll go alone- unless you wanted to-" He let it hang.

"No. I'm good." I said closing my locker.

"I'll see you there though, right?" I started to shake my head. "I'll put your name on the ticket list. You aren't going to let me spend my money and then not come are you?" He asked. Again I started to shake my head but he took a step forward, he placed a hand on my stomach. "Good, I'll see you there." As he walked past me he ran his fingers across the top of my pants where a small sliver of skin was showing between my shirt and pants. I shivered but Alek was already down the hall.

I shook my head and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe what had just happened. My life had been so simple, I'd dreamed for a hot guy to notice me- now I wasn't so sure I wanted this. I was only 15, I could wait. I didn't know a guy would be this much work. Then again he was really hot… I better get a dress for the dance.

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><p><strong>I hope you guys really like this new story, as always I have a new twist to it that you haven't seen before and I hope that you will love it. Please give me lots of reviews and let me know! Maybe 10 reviews?<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I dont own Nine Lives, just my original stories and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**I hope you guys like this second chapter.**

**Her dress is linked on my profile**

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><p>"I can't believe you are going to the dance." Amy said sitting on her bed while she examined her nails.<p>

"You're going-" I told her applying mascara.

"Yeah, but I have a date." Amy said.

"Paul is not a date, Amy." I told her turning around. She looked up at me and her mouth dropped. "What?" I asked.

"Is that what you're doing with your hair?" She asked resuming looking at her nails.

"Yes, I'm just going to leave it down." Amy shook her head and stood up. She turned me around and twisted my hair up and clipped it with one of her sparkly brown clips so that a fountain of my hair hung over the clip. She stepped away and turned me to face her. She looked over me and smiled.

"Perfect. Anyone you are dressing up for?" She asked. I shook my head pursing my lips.

"Nope." I turned around and examined myself in her mirror.

"Chloe, you are such a bad liar. I can see you blush in the reflection." I looked down at my phone and then turned around.

"Wow, look at the time, we should go." I said grabbing my purse and running out the door. Amy's dads told us how pretty we looked and then we were driving to pick up Paul and then to the dance. Even Paul commented on me going to the dance.

"I'm just going okay. I've gone to dances before." I crossed my arms over my chest and sank down in my seat pouting. They didn't say any more about me going to the dance or how dressed up I was after that. The car was silent on the way to the school. I sat there and played with the lace on my dress until Amy finally parked and then turned the car off.

We got out of the car and walked up to the doors. There were a few teachers at the table there taking tickets. Amy and Paul handed theirs over and then looked over at me expectantly. "Um, I should be on the list. Chloe King." I told them. They flipped through their pages and ran their fingers down the rows of names stopping on mine.

"Ahh, Alek Petrov's guest." They said. I saw out of the corner of my eye Amy and Paul's jaws drop. I nodded and they stamped my hand. Amy gave me a knowing smile and pushed me inside the gym. I have to give whoever decorated some credit, you would never know that this was a school gym. I looked around the room, looking for no one in particular- or so I kept telling myself.

"Looking for someone?" Amy asked nudging me in the side.

"No-" I said and then walked away. I don't know what I was thinking coming tonight, it's not like Alek said we were going together, he just said he wouldn't go with anyone else and that I should come. I have to be the stupidest most naïve girl in the world. He totally played me, I bet he wasn't even here- or he was here in a back corner like he always was with some random hot girl. I closed my eyes and shook my head, I had to stop thinking about him. I hung out for awhile on the outskirts before Amy came over to me.

"I'll stop giving you crap, come dance." She took my hand in hers and just like her birthday we danced the night away. After a few songs we heard someone over the microphone.

"Hey, can I get everyone's attention?" our principle asked. The music cut out and we all turned to face the front. "Alright, well I guess it's time to announce the Homecoming King and Queen, at least that's what they told me before shoving the envelope in my hand." He paused waiting for laughter but it never came. He coughed and looked down at his hands for a minute. "The homecoming King and Queen once announced will share the King and Queen dance and then a dance with their dates. So, let's see who they are. Our 2011 homecoming King and Queen are Christine Patton and Alek Petrov." Everyone applauded while both Christine and Alek went to the front and were crowned. The music started playing and Alek led Christine out to the middle where one of the AV geeks rigged a spotlight. I watched closely as they danced, I liked watching how Alek interacted with people- especially since he had made me that promise. Alek pulled Christine close and then noticed her boyfriend standing in the front line with a disgruntled look on his face. Alek smirked and loosened his hold on her. They danced for awhile making polite conversation and then the song changed. Christine's boyfriend came and cut in leaving Alek in the middle. Alek looked around the circle and you could hear the gossip race through the crowd as every girl secretly hoped he would ask them to dance. Sierra, of course, just assumed that he would choose her and took a step forward. Alek took a step towards her but instead of offering her his hand he stepped past her.

"Come on, King." He said offering me his hand. Sierra turned around and glared at me. I looked down and Alek took another step towards me taking my hands in his, he pulled me out of the crowd toward the middle. He pulled me closer and placed my hands around his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. He leaned down, his mouth next to my ear.

"You are incredibly beautiful tonight." He said. I blushed.

"Thank you." I whispered. I could feel his eyes roaming over me admiring the way the brown lace dress fit my body. I could feel it in the way his fingers acted as if they were playing the piano on my back; he was itching to move his hands up and down my back. Alek pulled me closer to him, successfully and completely eliminating the space in between us.

"There, that's better isn't it?" he said in my ear. He was so close I felt his lips curl into a smirk against my ear.

"It's actually harder to breathe." I told him dryly.

"As your grey knight I'll make sure to put you in my bed when you swoon." He said. I looked up at him and frowned. "I'm kidding." He assured me, I wasn't assured. We danced for awhile and then he offered to take me home. Amy and Paul were having a good time and looked far from the point of wanting to leave so I took him up on it and followed him outside. He led me to a black Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 and handed me a helmet. I stopped and looked at him, frozen, mouth hanging open. "I know, not your normal white horse, but it goes a lot a faster. Get on." He held my hand while I got on. He turned around and helped me put the helmet on before wrapping my arms around his waist. I held on tight taking the time while he started the bike to take in his cologne and smiled to myself.

I'd never gotten home as fast as I did that night. I know that my mom would probably not be happy about me being on the back of a motorcycle with a boy that she had never met before, but I was as happy as could be. It was like I was flying and I loved it. You have to understand that in the 15 years and nine months I've been alive the most exciting thing I've ever done was ride Space Mountain at Disney World when I was ten. I could use some excitement, and I didn't see what was wrong with Alek showing it to me. Of course, I knew what my mom would say. It would turn into how too much excitement would turn into a baby nine months later, but that wouldn't happen to me. That's not the excitement I was talking about- although…no that is not the excitement I was talking about. I just wanted to be shown a good time. I wanted to do things I'd never done. The engine died and I looked around. I was home. He parked outside my house and walked me up to the door. He was standing really close and every chick flick I'd ever seen flashed through my mind. This was the part where he kissed me good night and I went inside to dance around in my pajamas singing sappy love songs, it was finally going to happen- my first kiss- and by the cutest boy in school, no doubt. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me lightly to him and I bit my lip staring up into his eyes. "I hope you had a good time tonight." He said quietly. I nodded and smiled eagerly. He leaned down a little and I closed my eyes, waiting. "Do you want to go out with me?" He asked pulling away. My eyes flew open.

"What?" I asked, confused. He hadn't kissed me, why hadn't he kissed me?

"Do you want to go out with me? Like on a date, a real date." He said.

"Petrov, if this is a game-"

"No game, King. Just me asking you out." He said smiling. Actually smiling, not smirking. I thought about it for a moment and then nodded slowly.

"Sure." I agreed.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at eleven, then." He said and then started down the stairs. I took a step towards him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked surprising myself. He came back up the stairs and looked down at me; an eyebrow raised that evil smirk again on his face.

"You want a kiss?" He asked. I didn't answer I just stared at him. "Not tonight. I'm much too tired for a romp tonight, love." He smiled and turned around walking down the stairs and to his bike. I scowled and turned around and let myself in my house. I wanted a kiss, not a romp. Who says that anyway? And why was it so damn sexy when he did?

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><p>That was the third time that I had come too close to kissing her. I knew that I had to break it off, that Chloe was not just another girl I could play around with. I was getting attached to her and that only meant one thing, my desire to kiss her was only going to get worse unless I cut it off now. I knew that, I understood that, it had been that way since I turned 16 but there was something about that girl. I just had to keep seeing her I couldn't stop. I was Mai and she was human. I know that I'm the Uniter and I'm supposed to unite the humans and Mai- cant I start with her?<p>

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><p><strong>Alek's point of view comes up next, what else is he thinking? <strong>

**I'd love to have like, oh I dont know 15 reviews when I check my email tomorrow, is that possible? I think you guys can do it!**

**and for those of you who are like well i'm gonna check and see if there are 15 and if there are i'm just not going to review, do it anyway!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I dont own Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writting.**

**There are quite a few changes of perspective in this but they are all either Alek of Chloe. **

**So, I've gotten a lot of reviews about this story asking questions. Chloe is human, She will not be the Uniter. There wont be two. Alek is the Uniter. Hope that clarifys**

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><p>"Alek who is this girl?" Jasmine asked. I turned around on the couch to look over at the desk. She was on facebook looking at the newly tagged photos from the dance last night. The picture on the screen was enough to get me up off of the couch and away from the basketball game I was watching. It was the only picture that I had been tagged in on Facebook that I actually cared about. The yearbook photographer had snapped a picture of Chloe and I while we were dancing. One of my arms was wrapped around Chloe's side holding her close while the other caressed her hair pushing the loose strands away from her face. Our foreheads leaned against each other, our eyes closed. I remembered that in that moment we were completely relaxed and simply enjoying being in each other's arms. The light came from behind us and illuminated the picture like there was magical dust floating around us- it had felt magical. There was something about the way Chloe made me feel that was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I could feel it deep down in my chest. It was almost an ache but it was an ache I would much rather endure than ever live without. I wanted to be near her and when I was, I wanted to be closer. And don't get me wrong I knew that a lot of it was physical, but there was something else about her, something I fully intended on finding out about at our date today. It was not the passionately sweet scene before us that Jasmine was asking about though; it was the distance or lack of between my lips and Chloe's. "Who is she, Alek?" Jasmine asked again.<p>

"Just a girl." I told her continuing to stare at the screen. She was anything but just a girl but I didn't want to upset Jasmine. If Jasmine got upset then Valentina would find out and if she found out well, it was safe to say I was going to be late to pick up Chloe.

"That's what I was afraid of. Alek, how many times- how many times do I need to tell you to be careful! You are too close to her, you can kill her, Alek!"

"Who can Alek kill?" Valentina asked coming into room from her office. As always she was cleanly and fashionably dressed and her hair was perfect I'm not sure how exactly she does it but it's always amazed me. I'm not one of those guys that works for hours on their hair in the morning but I do like it a certain way. I looked over at Jasmine. She looked up from the stack of papers in her hand and saw the picture. "Is she Mai?" She asked coldly. I stretched my jaw for a moment before answering.

"No, she isn't." We'd had this conversation about once a month since I'd come to live with her. I wasn't looking forward to having it again, especially now that it wasn't hypothetical.

"Do I need to send a cleanup crew?" She asked.

"No, I did not kill her." I said sighing. I leaned back against the couch and crossed my arms across my chest. "I left her on her porch, untouched, unkissed. Believe me I wouldn't have if it weren't for this stupid curse."

"Good, that is entirely too close. You may be able to control yourself; that does not mean that girl can. You are the Uniter, Alek. You do not have the freedom that others have. You have to be more careful."

"I'm supposed to unite the humans and Mai together-"

"That does not mean that you won't kill her when you are intimate with her." Jasmine added.

"Alek, you are not that stupid. I know you are not. You know our history, you know the prophecies. You know that you are destined to be with Sekhmet's gift to her sister. Don't make me forbid you to see this girl. I don't want another accident."

"I have never made a mistake like that!" I yelled. "Do not confuse me with yourself." I know that what I said was harsh, that it was even unnecessary but my whole life was controlled by what people did thousands of years ago. It was determined by the mistakes of others and I was sick of it. Valentina's eyes flashed with anger and the papers in her hand bent as her fingers constricted around them. Jasmine stood up behind her mother looking at me with a worried expression.

"A parent's mistakes are for their child's learning." She said tersely.

"Chloe is not a mistake." I told her matching her tone.

"Alek, she is a human you are Mai. You are the Uniter. You have a duty to our people! I forbid you to see that girl anymore."

"Try and stop me." I told her taking a step closer to her before turning to leave. I grabbed my wallet and keys and left the apartment. I slammed the door behind me and took the stairs down. I needed to get the anger and frustration out of my blood before I met with Chloe. I was planning to cook her food and take her to one of my favorite places for a picnic but obviously I had not cooked anything. I looked at my phone and saw I still had thirty minutes before I had to be at Chloe's. I drove to a restaurant I knew and quickly ordered. I was watching the clock the whole time. I couldn't be late. The normal girls I dated wouldn't care, their parents wouldn't care. However, I had to believe that Chloe was different. The chef handed the food to me personally and I ran out the door. I sped to Chloe's house breaking every street traffic rule in the city. I didn't care, I wouldn't get caught. I parked my bike outside Chloe's house, taking my helmet off and making sure I looked presentable. I would have dressed and prepared better, but the little talk earlier had eaten up my time. The black jeans, forest green t-shirt, and unlaced combat boots would have to do. I walked up the steps and knocked on the door. I'd heard things about Meredith King, not good things if you were a boy. I had planned on charming her; I could be quite charming and not just for the daughters. I was quite good with parents.

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><p>I was upstairs when I heard the engine of his motorcycle shut off. I rushed to the window and looked out over the street. He was fixing his hair in the side view mirrors. I smiled and watched as he walked up the stairs. He knocked on the door and I had to keep myself from running to the door before my mom. She was in the kitchen, however, and she was there before I could even reach the stairs. "Hello" She said civilly. I took in a deep breath and prayed to whatever god was listening that she would let me go out with him.<p>

"Morning, Mrs. King." Alek said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "I do hope you don't mind my taking Chloe out on such short notice. I normally ask a girl out at least five days in advance and ask their parents, but Chloe is not your normal girl. She took me by surprise and I just had to get to know her better."

"Come in." My mom said. I heard him step inside my house and the door shut behind her. "You just had to get to know my daughter better-" She started pulling out a stool at the bar.

"She fascinates me. She is not your normal fifteen year old girl. She thinks about more than makeup and the tabloids- she can actually carry on an intelligent conversation." There was silence for a minute.

"Where are you taking her?"

"I picked up some food and I figured we would go to a park I know and just talk for awhile."

I decided now was the time to go downstairs. My mom had interrogated him enough for one day. I rushed down the stairs counting each one so I didn't kill myself going down. I walked over quickly to where they were and kissed my mom on the cheek before grabbing Alek's hand and running out the door. I threw a quick "love you mom, see you later" over my shoulder before quickly and solidly closing the door behind me.

Alek followed me down the stairs and I immediately jumped on the back of his bike and put the helmet on. He followed and as soon as he was settled I snaked my arms around his waist squeezing him lightly. I scooted up to him as close as possible, and rested my head on his shoulder. He pulled out of the space and took off down the street. After about ten minutes before he pulled over and shut his bike off, I pulled off the helmet and looked around.

We were at Lands End. Alek helped me off the bike and then we walked down the trail. His hand never left mine until we found a place to sit. Where he had chosen was a promontory that looked out over the water. On the ground was a maze, like the ones you did as a kid on the back or restaurant place mats. Alek set the bag he was carrying down and then began to sit when he stopped. I saw him look me over once and then get up. "Don't sit down." He said quickly and then ran back to his bike. When he came back he carrying his leather bike jacket and laid it on the ground next to him. He smiled and then took my hand as he helped me sit. He had noticed I was wearing white shorts. I smiled and waited as he unpacked the food. Who would have known that he was so sweet. "I was going to cook for you, but some things came up and I ran out of time. I hope this is okay." He said. I could hear the tension in his voice when he said something came up, but I decided he didn't want to talk about it and let it pass. I nodded and leaned forward kissing him lightly on the cheek. He smiled and handed me the food. We ate and talked for a long time. He told me about coming from London and his life there. "I came to live with my aunt at the beginning of freshman year, London was great but I like San Francisco a lot better." He said smiling at her.

"What about your parents though, don't they care that you're here?" I asked. I looked around for my water bottle missing the brief flash of pain he let escape onto his face.

"Oh, you know, I was a bit of a trouble maker- glad to be rid of me." He said with a smirk. Something about the way he said it though made me wonder.

"I don't know why anyone would be glad to be rid of you." I said quietly, not entirely realizing what I said until after I'd said it. The corner of his lip turned up a little.

"Well, yeah, you're a girl though and I haven't met one yet that would push me away." That cocky attitude always managed to make an appearance.

"I bet you haven't." I turned my gaze out to the water and let the breeze blow my hair back. The sun felt nice on my skin as I let it warm my cheeks. I loved the sun. I loved feeling it on my skin. As often as I could I would nap in the sun letting it warm my skin turning it the light brown it maintained for most of the year. Alek didn't say anything and when I sneaked a peak at him out of the corner of my eye he had lain back his eyes closed, enjoying the sun. He had his hands folded behind his head and his shirt was pulled up slightly exposing not only perfectly tan skin but a deep chiseled 'v' that disappeared under the waist line of his jeans. I closed my mouth tight bighting my lip to keep from gasping and turned my head forward again. It wasn't but a few seconds before I felt his hand on my lower back pulling at my shirt lightly. I turned to look at him and then realized that he wanted me to lay back with him.

"We've talked about me, what about you, King? What's your story."

"My story is pretty boring. I've grown up here for pretty much my whole life, in the same house. My dad left when I was little so it's just been me and my mom. Nothing really exciting has ever happened to me." I told him. It was true nothing exciting ever had happened, and other than my gigantic crush on him nothing exciting probably would ever happen. I was resigned to living my life the way it was, well sort of. I wanted it to be more exciting but I figured it never would be.

"Sometimes it's nice to not have to worry about things."

"Oh yes, worrying about all the girls knocking on your door and whether you will start in the next basketball game can be very trying." I said lightly. He sat up on his side and looked down at me.

"I always start." He said with a smirk on his face.

"So I've heard." I said.

"Always start with the girls too." He said cocking one eyebrow.

"I've heard that too." I sat up on my elbows putting our faces at only a few inches. I looked into his eyes wondering what he was thinking.

"You hear a lot." He whispered. His breath was warm against my lips, and I know that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get my bottom lip from trembling slightly. My eyes started to close waiting for him to lean in and close the short distance between us. When they were fully closed though instead of the distance closing, his presence next to mine disappeared. I opened my eyes and looked around. He was sitting up his arms wrapped loosely around his knees as he stared at the water.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I sat up so that I was next to him and mimicked the way he was sitting. "Don't you want to kiss me?" I asked quietly barely above a whisper. I honestly hoped that he didn't hear me, it was so pathetic and typical little girl of me but I had to know. I had to know what this was to him. Was I just a person to pass the time with, one he didn't have to worry about being attracted to?

"Chloe, it's not that-" He started. He had heard me. "I can't kiss you, King." I didn't know how to respond to that. He couldn't kiss me? Was there something wrong with my lips or me that he couldn't kiss me. He'd kissed other girls so what was different.

"You _can't_ kiss me?" I asked. He sighed heavily and shook his head looking down at the dirt between his knees.

"I can't kiss you." He said again. I took a deep breath holding it for a minute before slowly letting it out.

"You've kissed other girls, I know your reputation, Alek. What's different about me? Am I not-"

"No, it's not you- wow, does that sound stupid."

"It obviously is me. Am I not your type, am I not pretty enough or- I thought that, you've been flirting- What is this to you?"

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><p>I was thinking quickly, my brain was scrambling for an excuse something that she would believe. She was the first girl that I had honestly wanted to kiss, the only one that I ached to be with. She was also the only one to take my brush off's personally. Other girls just thought that I was playing hard to get, Chloe- she was thinking she wasn't good enough. That hurt me. I knew that I had played just a bit too much in this case, I'd meant too much of what I'd said, showed too much of my sweet side. I couldn't just turn it around now, I had to come up with a real reason something that would put all her doubts aside but still allow us to still be friends, to still do things like this. I didn't want to break her heart; I didn't want to hurt her in anyway. Maybe I was being selfish, I didn't see any way that I couldn't hurt her in this situation. I looked at her now, her eyes were fallen and she slumped against her knees. I wanted to keep being selfish; I didn't want to let her go. "What is this to you?" she asked again. If it weren't for my Mai hearing I wouldn't have heard anything but mumbles. I had to tell her, I had to tell her everything I was feeling.<p>

"I want to kiss you." I said quietly trying to keep my breathing stable. I can't believe that I was about to admit what I said next. "I've wanted to do more than kiss you ever since that day at your store." Her head snapped up and she looked at me with wide eyes. I rolled my head back along my shoulders and let out another long breath. "I just can't." Damn being Mai, why couldn't I just be human, why couldn't I be normal- why couldn't I be with her? She was beautiful in the sunlight. It shown around her making her hair catch fire and her skin glow like gold. He'd never seen the sun play on somebody like it did on her.

"Why?" She asked again. More quick thinking, this is starting to hurt. I hate lying.

"I don't want be that guy with you. I don't want you to be another in my repertoire. I want you to be the one that stands out." It was partially true; he did want her to stand out. He had to be honest with himself though, if he weren't Mai or she weren't human- there wouldn't be anything separating him from her. A rush rolled through his body starting very low in his abdomen and racing toward his head. He turned his head towards her. She was staring out at the water thinking over what he'd said. His eyes followed her neck down tracing the edges of her loose cotton shirt down to where it met the other side. There was just the smallest amount of flesh exposed there. Her skin was milky white there; the sun hadn't seen it over the summer. From the angle he was at and the way the wind played with the light material of her shirt he was catching glimpses of the light blue lace that curved up and down against her pale skin. He swallowed hard and looked down at his boots. Another rush made its way through his body. He swallowed closing his eyes. He looked up. "I'm sorry, when I said it wasn't you earlier- it is you. You are the reason I can't kiss you." She looked at him now confused. "You are completely different from any other girl I've ever dated, ever met. I want to treat you like that. When I say I can't kiss you, it's because I can't, not because I don't want to."

"I always thought that your first kiss was something you remember for the rest of your life, but I think my first non-kiss will be." She said. A slight smile played at her lips and I couldn't help but smile too. I hadn't lost her, but I hadn't escaped hurting her. I don't think I'll ever escape that.

As I drove home I couldn't stop thinking about Chloe. I couldn't stop thinking about our talk and how I'd told her I wanted to kiss her but I couldn't. I'd lied about the reason I couldn't kiss her and I felt pretty bad. I hated lying to Chloe but there wasn't any way I could tell her that I was Mai, people didn't respond well when they found out. I didn't want to lose her and I was already pushing her away by lying. I wanted to pull her close, feel her under my hands. I wanted to shower her in kisses. I frowned. Chloe was human and that's all there was to it. I would never be able to do anything more than hug her.

My mother had mentioned a prophecy earlier this morning, I knew it well enough. It had been one I'd learned about earlier this year. Sekhmet's gift was a Mai warrior woman that was better than any other before her. Like the goddess she sprang from this warrior would be known as the Lady of Slaughter, flame and the one before whom evil trembles. She was the protector of the ultimate Uniter. All of the protectors and uniter had fallen in love with each other; it was inevitable in spending so much time together. They both were granted more than one life. Alek himself had originally had nine; he had lost one two years ago in Russia when he'd gone to visit his extended family. He wasn't sure how many the warrior had, or how many she had lost. Valentina's thoughts were that because Alek was the only male Uniter they had had in over a thousand years than Sekhmet's gift had to be on earth now too, somewhere. The somewhere was the catch, he didn't want to spend his life not knowing where his 'soul mate' was when he could likely find her anywhere- in Chloe.

Alek shook his head, he had to stop thinking about her like that, it never could be like that. They could never be together, they never would be. She was human.

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><p><strong>I hoped you guys liked this really long chapter that I thoroughly enjoyed writing. I have another chapter in the works after this and it get's steamy, so if you want it come and get it- get it by reviewing.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>Chloe lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. She and Alek had had a wonderful time today. There was the point towards the end when Chloe thought her heart would break and she would cry but it had turned out alright. It had turned out better than alright. Alek was better than she could ever have imagined, and she had imagined him on more than one occasion. She'd always imagined kissing him, about being his girlfriend and being the talk of the entire school. She had never imagined not kissing him and being this happy. Her alarm went off on her phone and she sat up. She started to pull her hair back and then went to the bathroom to tie it back and continue to get ready. She put on a pair of jeans and a deep red shirt and then grabbed the gym bag that was hanging on the back of her door. She heard Amy honk her horn right as she went downstairs. Chloe smiled and grabbed a water bottle before running out the door to the car. She opened the door to Amy's red VW Bug and hopped in throwing her bag in the back.<p>

"I can't believe that you still take archery lessons." Amy said.

"I teach the lessons now, Amy." She gave me crap about it all the time, I was used to it. I loved archery, I always had. It had been something my dad started me on before he left. I'd thought it was what I was supposed to do because I had a birth mark right next to my shoulder blade that was shaped like an arrow. I'd just stuck with it all these years; it was something that was always there when I was upset or happy. I'd fallen in love with it and never fallen out. Amy parked the car and got out. I followed and went to the field throwing my bag over my shoulder. Amy settled herself on one of the many picnic tables like she always did and I set up. I collected my bow and quiver from the Rec house and got in a few shots before my students showed up. I loved the way the bow felt in my hands, the way the string rolled off my fingers, and the sound that the arrow made when it left the string and when it hit the target. I set the end of the bow on my foot and placed another arrow on the string and took aim. I pulled the string back so that the feathers brushed my cheek. I could feel the muscles in my shoulders bunch and then relax as they hit the sweet spot that my body instantly recognized. I held for a minute before releasing the string sighting on the smallest section in the middle of the target. I let the arrow slip off my fingers and held my stance until I heard the crack of the arrow against the target. I felt all of the tension leave my body, everything I'd been thinking about disappeared and I could only focus on one thing, the arrow and where I wanted to place it. It wasn't until I heard all of my students talking in a group that my concentration broke. I set the bow down and looked up. They all sat on the sidelines waiting for me. I smiled and took a deep breath.

"Alright, time to get to work, guys!" I called out. They all jumped up off the ground and grabbed their bows and quivers and lined up on the line.

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><p><em>He could feel the curve of her hips under his hands as he squeezed his hands tighter around her fragile bones. Her hands explored up his neck into his hair. He leaned down pressing his lips to hers with fevery passion. Her lips were warm against his and his lips ached as he pressed them down against hers with growing pressure. She pulled lightly on his hair, as it intertwined in her fingers. He pushed her back against the wall and pressed himself against her. He slid his hands up her side, her shirt bunched above his hands. She pushed her lips against his forcing his head back and then she pulled away pulling on his bottom lip with her teeth as she did so. She rested her head back against the wall and he followed, resting his forehead against the wall next to her. Breath exploded from their lips and he could feel her chest and stomach heave against him as she sucked in air. His breath was warm against her skin and it raised the hair on her shoulders. She shivered, she couldn't control herself. His hands hadn't moved from their position on her ribs. They squeezed lightly ever couple of seconds. She threw herself against him and then settled back against the wall. Her hands searched his back exploring the muscles that were bunched there. Her fingers pulled at his shirt bunching it in her grasp. He stepped away from her and pulled the shirt up over his head dropping it on the ground at their feet. He fell back against her, he heard her back hit the wall and cringed hoping that he hadn't hurt her. Her shirt had caught on the wall and stayed where he left it, up just beneath her breasts. The neckline of her shirt had shifted and fallen and he could see the curves of her breasts rise and fall as she continued to pant heavily. He kissed her shoulder following her collar bone down to the soft spot between them and kissed there sucking lightly. He felt her skin tighten as she threw her head back. He rested his head against her chest and breathed heavily his warm breath snaking down between her breasts. They both felt her breasts stiffen as the warm air from his nose brushed against her skin. His hands again climbed up her sides, pushing her shirt farther up, she raised her arms above her head and he pulled her shirt off dropping it next to his. His warm hands raised goose bumps on her flesh as he explored her newly exposed body. She pulled him against her wanting to feel every inch of his body against her own. He sensed this and his hands left their place under her breasts and trailed down to her thighs. He lifted her wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bed. Hastily he pushed his sheets aside and then crawled onto the bed. He lowered them both gently to the bed and as soon as her back felt the bed she unfolded her legs from around him letting them slide down to the bed. He pressed his lips to her navel and worked his way up her soft skin. She was doing untold things to his body, as he fully knew he was doing to her. He could feel it under his fingers as her body tightened beneath his touch. As much as he wanted to press himself against her and to feel every inch of her under his body, he was consciously keeping himself on his knees. He was ignoring her pleading hands that tried to pull him down on her trying to keep his secret to himself for just a little bit longer. He felt her fingers trail down to his belt and pull at it as she undid it far more skillfully than he expected. He followed her lead and undid the button to her shorts sliding them down her legs trailing with his fingers against the warm skin of her thighs. He wanted her to be all his in every way. That was all he'd ever wanted. She placed a kiss on his skin in the deep cut under his hips and he tightened, every muscle in his body contracting. So close, they were so close and as much as they both wanted to get to that point, the time leading up to it was just as important and exciting to them. Her chest continued to heave, as did his as their breathing became more and more hampered as their excitement grew. He had not expected her to be this skilled, he had expected fumbling but her hands were steadier than his own. He felt her hands run down his side where her hands should have been warm against his skin though they turned to ice, they burned into his hip. <em>

I sat up in bed pressing my hands against the skin on the inside of my hip. The pain was still there but now instead of the icy cold feeling that had been there, I felt something warm and smooth slide over my fingers. Hands pushed me down on the bed by the shoulders. I looked up into brown eyes and recognized my aunt. She pushed me back and threw back the sheets. She removed my hands and immediately replaced them with a clean cloth. She mopped up the blood quietly. Jasmine came in soon after and washed the blood off of my hands and then assisted her mother in repairing the damage and replacing the bandage. "What were you doing?" Valentina asked rhetorically. "You tore your stitches." She murmured as she stitched the wound back up again. I gritted my teeth as the needle pierced and pulled my skin with every movement. I couldn't for the life of me remember how I had gotten such a wound, all I could remember was why my cheeks were flushed. I slid my lower half away from my aunt keeping my hip where she could work on it but like in the dream I'd much rather not have my aunt find out my little, or not so little, secret.

"What happened?" I asked looking down at myself trying to remember where not only the gash my Aunt was stitching but the other numerous bruises and scrapes had come from. My cheek throbbed and I reached a hand up to touch it. Jasmine grabbed my hand before I could however which only caused me more pain as her hand squeezed my cut knuckles. I grimaced and tensed my muscles trying to bear through the pain.

"Relax, I can't sew you up if you are flexing." Valentina chided. "You were attacked. They got you on the street. We will have to get you a new mode of transportation; they must know your bike. You are lucky you were found before they killed you."

"Do you not remember anything?" Jasmine asked. I shook my head; none of this rang a bell. The hunters that found you said there were six of them. They had blocked you off from the street and your protector's view. You are lucky to be alive, and that your attackers were stupid enough to attack in an area populated with Mai."

"Where was I? Where was I when I was attacked?"

You were in the Lower Pacific heights area." Valentina told me. I sat up straining too many things. Valentina dropped her needle and pushed me back. "What?" She asked.

"Chloe, Chloe lives there. I was leaving her house-"

"I'm sure she is fine. Sit back and relax." I did as she told only because it hurt too much to sit up. If anything at all happened to Chloe because of me I would never forgive myself. Jasmine held a glass of water to my lips letting small amounts trickle into my mouth. I began to feel sleepy and my eyes drooped. I stared first at Jasmine and then Valentina, I couldn't believe that they would do that.

"You- yo-" I sighed heavily trying to fight the sleep.

"I can't have you going off to save this girl, you have to heal." She explained. I threw my hand onto the side table reaching for my phone. The pills were already taking affect though and I was losing control of my body. I knocked my phone off the table and heard it go skidding across the wood floor before my brain finally succumbed to sleep.

"Chloe." I mumbled.

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><p>As I looked out my window that night I saw two very large men outside on the sidewalk across the street. They were watching my house, looking down the streets and ever so often at least once an hour one would make a circle around my house before returning to stand with his friend. At first they creeped me out, they were dressed all in black and they didn't seem like they were going to be leaving anytime soon, but after awhile I got this unexplainable feeling that they were not to be worried about. Whatever that reason was I could never explain to anyone but I quietly climbed away from the window and sat down on my bed. Again like I had before Amy had picked me up I lay on my bed and thought about soon turned to dreaming about Alek as I quickly fell asleep, exhausted after my day. I never really remembered my dreams, but this one I would remember for the rest of my life.<p>

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><p><strong>Hope you guys liked it, give me lots of reviews because that is what makes me update faster. <strong>

**I wanted to post this for the long weekend and if you are especially nice to me with reviews I'll post another one before the weekend is up, but I am also working on my own book and I need to put some energy into that. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I hadn't seen Alek at school all day today, he hadn't been in our math class this morning and I hadn't seen him at lunch. I was wondering where he was, lingering in the halls to see him. I was leaning against my locker listening to Amy prattle on about something and looking down the hall to see if I could find him. "You looking for someone?" I heard a voice ask. I smiled, I knew that accent and the sarcastic tendency. Amy smiled and left.<p>

"Maybe, there is this really cute bri- Oh my gosh! What-" I said seeing the large bruise on his cheek. I reached my hand up brushing my fingers against it lightly. I saw him flinch lightly and then close his eyes. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"It's okay; it's amazing how many girls find a little bruising kind of sexy." He said wiggling his eye brows.

"What happened?" I asked again this time running my fingers over his cheek.

"I got in a little accident that's all. I'll be fine, love." I had to smile at the way he said love. "So, you turn sixteen this Friday-" he let the sentence hang. I dropped my fingers from his face to his chest and fiddled with his shirt for a minute.

"Yeah, I guess I do." I said looking down for a second before looking up. He smiled and cocked an eyebrow. He looked down at my hands and I saw his hand snake out to grab my belt loop out of the corner of my eye. He pulled me towards him and I felt our hips collide. Instantly I felt every muscle in my body, every muscle, contract. I could feel his stone hard abs against my stomach. His hand left my belt loop and I felt his hand on the small of my back. His fingers grazed the skin beneath my shirt and I tried my hardest not to shiver but I saw him smile and I know that my body had betrayed me. He pulled me closer and I felt my breasts press against his chest.

"I was thinking-" He paused. His lips were only inches from mine and I wanted to push myself up into him and kiss those sweet lips. "That maybe I could take you out to dinner." He finished pulling his head up away from me. I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"That sounds great. I'd love to." I told him.

"Great, I was also wondering if you'd like to-" he paused again and my brain started to wander. I don't know what was about to come out of his mouth but I knew whatever it was my answer would be yes. _"find a private room somewhere. We could-" Again he stopped but only for a minute. He let his hand slip down and slide into my jean pocket. "get to know each other better." _My mouth dropped open a little bit. "hang out this afternoon." I could feel his hand on my back and shook my head. I really needed to control myself with this boy.

"I'd love to get- I mean hang out this afternoon." I looked up at his cheek again. "It is kind of sexy." I placed my hands on his hips and pushed myself up whispering the words in his ear. He grimaced and I stepped back confused.

"I'm sorry, just a-" He held his side and bent over slightly.

"How bad was this accident?" I asked helping him to stand straight. I pulled his shirt up and saw the large area of skin that was covered by gauze and the amount of blood that was visible under the gauze. "Alek!" I said placing my hand on it.

"I'm okay, honestly. I screwed my bike up pretty bad but I'm okay. I already am feeling better." He said. I nodded but I was still worried about him.

"Let's just take it easy this afternoon then." I told him. He pouted.

"That's too bad I was hoping that we could take a romp or something." He said smiling. I had to think a moment to make sure that he had actually said it this time.

"Oh you were?" I asked.

"Alek, don't offer something you can't provide." Alek and I both looked over his shoulder. His hand pulled back from me and he took a step away. He pulled at his lip with his hand and turned to look at the speaker. She was tall and pretty in an exotic way. She had dark skin and hair and she carried herself lightly and gracefully.

"Chloe this is Jasmine, my cousin." Alek said ice in his voice as he did so. "She thinks she's witty."

"I only tell the truth." She said before walking past us. I watched as she left her heels clicking on the floor.

"She's actually not as bitchy as she comes off; she's just worried about me. She doesn't think it's good for me to be as head over heels for you as I am."

"You're head over heels for me?" I asked

"I thought I made that clear yesterday." He pulled me close again this time rubbing his hand up and down my back.

"It would be clearer if you-" I started and then stopped. I looked down and I know that I was blushing.

"I want to kiss you, King. To be completely honest, and bold, I'd kill to be alone with you so we could have that romp I've been talking about. When I touch you my hands want to know what it would be like to feel your skin under them to touch every inch of your body and to make you mine. You are worth more than that to me though and although it is very hard for me to control my-" He paused smirking, he licked his lips "urges, I've made myself a promise."

"What if I want-"

"No, besides I have to take it easy remember?" He said smiling. I knew he was completely serious when he said no and I decided to drop the issue.

"We can go to my house and watch movies or-"

"Perfect. I'll drive." He said pulling his keys out of his pocket.

"Are you sure that you can?"

"Well you can't drive us, so I guess I should."

"I don't want you to hurt yourself." I told him.

"I drove to school not an hour ago. I'll be fine, especially when I'm lying on your couch with your fingers running through my hair." He took his hand in mine and led me out the door. He opened the door to a black single door Jeep Wrangler and helped me inside. He drove us home and we laughed the whole way. There was something about the way I felt around Alek. I was on pins and needles the whole time but I was always more comfortable with him than anyone else. I felt like he understood everything I was saying. When we got to my house my mother wasn't home. I set my bag down and went upstairs to look for her. She wasn't in her room. I threw my shirt off and went to my closet to find a looser shirt that was easier to relax in. I continued to dig through my closet not able to find the shirt I was looking for. "Your mom isn't going to be home till late tonight- and I've got to thank God she's not." He said. I looked up at him and caught him staring. His eyes followed the curve of my breasts amplified by the red push up bra I was wearing. He subconsciously licked his lips and then ducked his head. I did the same and stepped further into the closet so I was shielded. I threw on the next shirt I saw- the one I had been looking for- and stepped out.

"Give me a second and I'll be down." I told him. I grabbed a pair of shorts and headed into the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and heard him go down stairs. I exhaled deeply not even registering the fact that I had been holding it. I slowly unbuttoned my jeans and pushed them down I couldn't help but imagine Alek doing the same action. I tried to squeeze the thought from my head by shutting my eyes as hard as possible. All of the sexual tension was killing me, I wished he would simply break it by kissing me and holding me close, running his hands over me. I pulled on my shorts and then went over to the sink. I splashed cold water on my face and then took a deep breath. I went downstairs and found Alek looking at the DVDs we had.

"Shanghai Knights?" He asked holding up the movie. I nodded and pulled out two cokes. I walked over and sat on the couch while he put the DVD in. He waited until it was playing and then came and sat down next to me. He shifted on the couch, moving my arm closest to him up and around. He lay down resting his head on my chest his feet stretched out over the rest of the couch. He placed my arm on his stomach and then laced his fingers with mine. The movie started and we both settled in. His cologne was intoxicating but I put it as far out of my mind as possible contenting myself to have his hand in mine and his head on my chest.

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><p><strong>So, i'll admit that this was a filler chapter but it was a necessary means to get to the next chapter. Please please please, I love reviews. You review I update sooner that's how it works that's how it has always worked and always will.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I went home later that night after her mom got home. I didn't want to leave, I really really wanted to stay but I had charmed her mom and I didn't want to have to back track. Chloe walked me to the door and we stood on the porch for awhile. I could tell that she wanted to kiss me, I wanted to kiss her more than anything in the world- other than perhaps for her to be Mai so she wouldn't die at my kiss. "So, I've got something special in mind for your birthday, but don't even think of asking, you won't find out." She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. I smiled and pulled her into me wrapping my arms around her shoulders in a hug. Her arms wrapped around me and I squeezed her lightly. Her hips were pressed against mine and although I would have been fine with it normally her bone was pressing against the cut in my own hip. I felt the burning heat of the pain pulse through my body and I pulled her closer. After a while she pulled away and stood up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. Her warm lips felt amazing on my skin even if it was my bruised cheek. She let her hands slip down my arms until she latched on to my hands running her thumbs over my scarred knuckles.<p>

"I'll be looking forward to our date on Friday." She said. She dropped my hands and opened the door to go inside, "I'll see you tomorrow." She said and then went inside leaving me on the porch. I took a deep breath and let it out before I went to my car. I drove home in silence, smiling the whole way. When I got to the penthouse I threw myself down on the couch and just stared at the ceiling before Valentina came in and sat on the edge of the couch. She automatically lifted my shirt and pulled the waistband of my pants down enough to see the wound. I shot up knocking her hands away. Sure she was my aunt but, she could have asked. She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't that hurt?" She asked. I thought about it for a moment. I hadn't felt any pain. She pushed me back down onto the couch and reached for my shirt again. This time she stopped though and looked up at me asking permission with her eyes. I just closed my eyes and put my arms underneath my head. She carefully peeled the tape away from my skin, which was perhaps the most annoying sensation in the world and I waited for her to pull the gauze away and feel the scabs be pulled away from my skin but that didn't happen the gauze pulled away cleanly. My aunt gasped and her cold fingers bushed against my skin.

"What?" I asked. Then she noticed my cheek. It wasn't black and blue anymore, towards the outside you could still see a tint of color but the center was completely normal. I looked down at my side. Where there should have been an ugly puckered scar still crusted with blood and being held together by the stitches was a light pink scar, barely visible, under the deep cut of my hip muscle.

"Alek, go look in the mirror." She said. I got up and went to the bathroom. I turned on the mirror lights and leaned close to the mirror. The bruise was gone, just tinges of color remained. As I looked closer I could see a faint outline in the center of my cheek. I brushed my fingers over it and stopped. I looked down at my hands. The knuckles were completely healed. I looked up at my cheek again and at the outline of puckered lips there. They were faint and my aunt hadn't noticed I knew or she would have said something.

So, where is he taking you?" My mom asked trying to be the stern and protective mother we both knew she wasn't. I could hear the excitement in her voice as I got ready.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me. It's a big surprise." I told her. I finished putting on my lip gloss and then went out into my bedroom where she was sitting on my bed. She smiled and put her hand over her mouth. "What?" I asked looking down.

"You just look beautiful." She said. I looked down at myself and smiled. I was wearing a white, single strapped dress. It had flowers across the chest and then flowed out from there stopping just above my knee. I'd put on just some simple diamond dangle earrings and silver strappy heals. I turned in a circle and went to sit down next to my mom.

"Are you okay with letting me go out on my birthday? Usually you and I do something." I said. She put an arm around my shoulder and squeezed.

"Yes, I'm alright. You owe me, but Alek seems like a special guy. That and he hasn't tried to kiss you, so that makes a mother's heart glad." She smiled and I laughed rolling my eyes. If only she knew what he said instead of kissing me. I told my mother everything normally but some things he said I wanted to keep just for me. We sat there for a little bit before I heard Alek pull up. I couldn't help but squeal and jump up and down. We walked downstairs and my mom opened the door. Alek was standing at the door, his hands stuffed in his pockets and looking down at the ground. He was wearing dark grey blue slacks, a white dress shirt and a matching jacket. He looked really good and nice. When the door opened he looked up and smiled instantly. He stayed where he was and my mom invited him in. He stepped inside making sure to say hello to my mother before he focused his attention fully on me. He held a hand out for me and I gladly stepped forward to take it. He laced our fingers together and pulled me closer.

"I'll have her home by-" he let it hang waiting for my mom to fill in the time I was to be home.

"I think midnight will do quite nicely tonight." My mom said smiling at me. That was an hour later than normal. "You have fun." She said squeezing my arm lightly. Alek smiled nodded and then led me outside. He led me to the car, opening the door for me like he always did, before my mom closed the door. He got in his seat and then turned to me before turning the car on.

"You look amazing, absolutely striking." He told me looking me in the eyes as he said it. I know I was blushing and I glanced down at my hands.

"Thank you." I said. He turned and started the car and pulled off down the street. "So, where are we-"

"Nope don't even. I'm not telling you. You'll just have to be surprised." He smiled looking over at me for a second. We drove for a little bit before he parked the car. When I looked up the water was spread out before me, San Francisco was on the other side and the Golden Gate Bridge was on our right. I looked around right outside the car and saw we were at the docks. I looked over at Alek and raised an eyebrow. He smirked and came around to my side of the car to let me out. He took my hand in his while I slipped out of the car and then closed the door behind me. I'd never had a guy treat me the way that Alek treated me, not just tonight but every day we were together. He placed a hand on the small of my back and led me down one of the piers. At the end was a black Hunton strung with lights. Alek led me onto the boat and towards the front. He started the boat and steered away from the pier.

"I didn't know you had a boat." I said.

"I don't." He said. I frowned.

"What?"

"This isn't my boat."

"Alek you stole a boat for my birthday!" I yelled. He started laughing and looked over at me.

"Relax, it's my aunts." He said. It was only five minutes before he shut the engine off and led me to the table at the back of the boat. It was set with the nicest dinnerware and a white silk table cloth. He helped me to sit and then went around the table to sit next to me. Alek served us dinner, which was incredible. We talked and laughed the whole night. The view was spectacular, the water rocked the boat gently and the lights of the city and the bridge shone through the night. The lights on the boat lit the surrounding area in a perfect light.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had." I told Alek leaning forward. He smiled and reached in his pocket. He pulled out a small white blue box and placed it on the table in front of me. "Alek-" I started.

"Just a little something." He said. I opened the box tentatively and looked inside. Inside was a delicate gold lion pendant on a gold chain. I pulled it from the box and let it dangle from my fingers in front of my eyes. It was gorgeous. I handed it to Alek and turned around on the seat so my back was facing him. I pulled my hair up and shivered lightly, his hands traced my collarbone as he pulled the necklace around my neck. When he latched it and let it go the pendant slipped lightly between my breasts settling just beneath my dress line. I smiled and turned back around to look at Alek.

"Thank you, it's beautiful."

"Lions are symbols of strength and inherent beauty, I thought it was appropriate for you, love." He said. We both leaned forward on the table. I knew that my eyes were flicking between his eyes and his lips, I leaned forward even closer. Alek sighed, pursed his lips and sat back. He looked at his watch and then stood up. "I should get you home." He said taking my hand in his.

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><p><strong>Review please. The next chapter is really good, i mean really good- and it's already written just sitting there waiting for you to fulfill my need for reviews...real reviews about the chapter, not just ones that say update. yup cool, so you know what button to push!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**Hey so, no it's not a new chapter, but I wanted to let you all know I put links up on my profile for the last two chapters. CHloe's birthday dress, her birthday gift, and the dress from this chapter are on my profile!**

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><p>"And you are sure there is no chance she's Mai?" Erik asked. We were at the basket ball court at school, just messing around. Erik was my only friend at school that was Mai and even then we didn't get to hang out much, he played lacrosse and so he hung out with other people during school. We still liked to talk though and share our common thoughts and grievances. I shook my head now.<p>

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. She would have transformed already." I said letting the basketball roll of the tips of my fingers.

"I mean she only just turned 16 a month ago." Erik offered weakly. I looked over at him and frowned. He was trying to give me hope.

"It's not about when you turn 16. It's puberty, Erik, just because you were 16 doesn't mean anything for the rest. And to answer your next question, yes, she has." Erik sighed and dribbled the basket ball a couple times.

"I'm sorry, man, it looks like it's hopeless." He admitted.

"I know, but I don't want to give her up. She's amazing and she makes me feel like- like nothing I've ever been before. I know that I should break it off and let her go because it's not fair to her. She could find someone that could love her the way I want to, the way she deserves, the way I can't without killing her. I've carried on too long now anyway, she'll be hurt and I can't stand to see her that way. There's no way I can escape hurting her now." I shot the basketball again and then sat down on the ground resting my arms on my knees.

"Well, maybe you'll meet that girl you're prophesied to be with at the ball on Saturday. You never know." Erik said. I glared at him. He was trying to make me feel better but I didn't want 'Sekhmet's gift' I wanted Chloe. I would never touch her for as long as I lived if I could be with her just as long- that's what wasn't fair to her I couldn't ask her to give up her own chance at a life full of love and happiness. I was the only one that could make that sacrifice, I was the one who was keeping it from happening. I stood up thoroughly fed up with my line of thought and drove back to my house. I went straight to my bedroom and cursed myself for what I was about to do. I pulled my phone out and dialed Chloe's number.

"Alek, hey!" She said when she answered. The smile on her lips was obvious in her voice and it touched my heart to know that I was the reason that she was smiling and it still broke my heart knowing I would cause her so much pain.

"Hi, love, I- I was wondering if you would like to go to a ball this weekend with me. I would have asked sooner but I wasn't sure if I could bring someone. It's for my Aunt's business and it will probably be incredibly dull, but there will be good food and dancing-"

"And you" She finished. I closed my eyes feeling my heart tear in another place.

"And me." I repeated. "It's quite formal, but I can cover your dress costs"

"It's fine. I'll figure it out" she told me. Something in the way she said that made me wonder but I passed it over and continued to mentally beat myself up for hurting her the way I was.

"Alright, I'll pick you up at around 7 pm. It will go pretty late, if there is any way your mother would extend your curfew-"

"I'll talk to her… and just be really good until then." She laughed lightly and again I felt my heart break.

"Good, I'm- excited." I told her choking back the thickness in my throat.

"Are you alright?" she asked concern lacing her voice.

"Yeah, You are the only person I'd want to spend that night with- any night." I added. I could just see her smiling, a light pink color touching her cheeks. "I'll talk to you later, love." I told her. She said goodbye and I hung up the phone. I held it in my hands for a moment squeezing my hands around it before I tossed it on the bed. I stood in my room for a minute catching my breath and trying to ease the pain in my heart. There was a light knock on my door and then Jasmine let herself in. She saw my face and stopped.

"Alek?" She asked.

"I'm fine." I told her, I knew my voice betrayed me as it was so think with pent up emotion I could hardly speak. She shook her head and closed the door behind her coming over to me.

"Yes, because you always have tear rimmed eyes and a husky, choked voice." She said. She sat down on my bed and looked up at me. "What's going on?" She asked.

"I'm hurting her, and I'm being selfish by continuing to do it even though I know how much I'm hurting her. I'm the most horrible person in the world." I told her taking a step back and sitting on my desk.

"I-" She started. I glared at her and cut her off.

"I know you told me so, that's not what I need to hear." I snapped.

"I was going to say that I'm sorry and I know how hard it is to love someone and know that you are only hurting them. Maybe things will work out-"

"There is no way I can get out of this without hurting her. I let my own selfish desires push every other thought out of my head. All regard for her and her feelings I pushed as far from me as possible. She- she's amazing and I feel better than I've ever felt in my life when I'm with her. I don't understand it. I know, I know, I know that I shouldn't fall in love with her, that I should have walked away and never even started flirting with her. I never should have risked it. But I did because I had to meet her, I had to see if I could get her attention. I had to be my own cocky bastard self and have every girl in school in love with me. Yet I'm the one who fell in love this time and I've taken her with me. Now, I'm hurting her every day I keep this going for my own selfish reasons-"

"Alek, stop." She said. "Stop beating yourself up, these things happen. Maybe it will all work out and she'll meet someone else." I didn't like that option any better. I wasn't satisfied with any of the real options I had, only the one that would never happen in a million years.

"And I'll have to watch her with someone else for the rest of my life." I said no more happy than I was.

"No, eventually you'll have the girl of the prophecy." She said. I don't know why people thought that that made me feel better.

"I don't want Sekhmet's damn 'gift'. Right now it's more of a curse, this whole being Mai, I'd trade it in a second for even the slightest chance at being with her."

"Alek, you don't mean that!" Jasmine said standing up and coming over to me.

"Yes, I do Jas, if I could I'd give up everything I've known my whole life to be with her because that would be enough."

"No it wouldn't be, and you know it. Being Mai is who you are, it's who you have always been. You wouldn't be happy being human. Think even when if there was some way to give it up you wouldn't be happy you would blame her. Alek, you are the Uniter you can't turn on our people for a girl!"

"I'm not, don't you see, I'm going to break up with her- I'm going to break her heart. I have no choice. After the ball I'm going to tell her, I'm going to tell her everything. I'm going to tell her that I can't be with her and if she doesn't accept that- I'll tell her that I don't love her the way she does me, I'll lie to her. I'll tell the biggest lie and tell her that she means nothing to me. I'm going to break her heart and rip mine to shreds at the same time. I'm going to be the one that she remembers for the rest of her life as the guy who swept her off her feet, who took her on a freaking boat for her 16th birthday and then dumped it all in the rubbish and stomped on her heart. That's how she is going to remember me when I'll remember her as the only girl I ever loved, and still love, and can still feel the pieces of my heart breaking." Jasmine just stood there, her head hung a little.

"I'm sorry, Alek, I really am." She said. I knew that I had been yelling at her, I knew that she hadn't deserved it. She patted my arm and then left closing the door and leaving me by myself. I needed to get out I need to think about something else, I need to be happy. I grabbed my keys and went to the one place and the one friend that always made things better- Chloe.

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><p>My mom and I had spent all day getting ready. We had gone to get our nails done first and then gone to the hair salon so I could get my hair and makeup done. We went all out for whatever reason, my mother was incredibly excited. As soon as I told her that Alek asked me she had grabbed the car keys and her credit card and driven me to the mall. After hours of looking around and going from shop to shop with seemingly no luck at all we found the dress, it was perfect. We could believe how gorgeous it was. When I tried it on my mother questioned it, it was strapless and she knew that I normally liked to hide my birth mark and steered clear of strapless and one strap dresses but this one was fabulous. I didn't care anymore about my birthmark, I knew that Alek would only think it was one more thing that made me unique and special and all the more beautiful, he would love me even more for it. That much I knew. Now we were at home and I was slipping into the dress careful not to mess up my hair or make up. It was almost seven and Alek would be here any minute. My mother thankfully had extended my curfew to before the sun came up. I was under no circumstances to spend the night with him though. Knowing Alek, the Alek I knew and no one else did, that wouldn't be an issue. He had as of yet to kiss me. I didn't know what he was waiting for. He wouldn't be taking advantage of me or pushing me to do something I didn't want to do- I wanted to desperately. I was putting on my earrings when I heard my phone ring. Taylor Swift's "Ours" started playing and I ran to get it. It was Alek and I pushed the speaker button so I wouldn't mess up my makeup. "Hey!" I said.<p>

"Hey, look, I'm sorry, my aunt needed me to help her set up things, I'm not going to be able to pick you up. I sent a car to get you though and I'll see you here, I promise I won't leave you again tonight." I was disappointed but I understood.

"It's okay, I'll see you there." I heard the car pull up to the house. "The car just got here, I'll see you soon." I told him.

"I'm sorry-" He said again. The sadness in his voice was more than what she expected for not being able to pick her up and I frowned, worried that something else was wrong. The doorbell rang though and her mom was yelling up the stairs.

"I'll see you soon!" I told him and then hung up running down the stairs. I slipped my phone into my purse as I went down the stairs and then turned the corner almost running into my mom.

"There you are, where's-"

"His aunt needed his help, he's already there." I explained quickly kissing her on the cheek before leaving. The driver helped me down the stairs and into the limo. Yes, a limo. I couldn't believe it. I felt like a movie star being swept away to a premier. It was amazing. I was shaking all the way there, not only was I nervous but I was also really excited. I was excited to see Alek and to be at this thing with him but I was nervous too. I didn't know what he'd think of the dress or what this party was going to be. I tried to control my breathing counting to five as I inhaled and exhaled but my heart was pounding in my chest so hard I thought it would explode through my chest. I could hear it throbbing in my ears and I could feel the blood pulsing in my head. I fidgeted with my necklace, fingering the lion head as I kept telling myself to just relax but it wasn't working. Then the Limo stopped and someone was opening my door. I looked out and saw a red carpet and a very fancy hotel. I stepped out and the driver offered me his hand. I stepped out and looked at the hotel. This was much more elegant than I'd ever even dreamed about. I walked up to the door and walked into the lobby when the door man opened the heavy glass doors for me. I looked around hopelessly and utterly lost and looked at the doorman. "I'm supposed to be here for some kind of ball- my boy- my frien- um can you just tell me where it is?" I asked. The man smiled and told me what room it was and how to get there. I thanked him and started off. Along the way I saw a bathroom and decided to stop off for a minute. I went in and grabbed two paper towels on my way to the mirrors. I made sure that no one else was there. I clamped the paper towels under my armpits while I examined myself in the mirror. My makeup was still flawless as was my hair- which had so much hairspray in it that a hurricane could wash over me and it wouldn't move. I sighed still trying to get my heart to return to a normal rate and to breathe at a normal pace and failing miserable. I threw the paper towels out and continued to the ball room. The doors were open when I got there and I went inside. I looked over the room it was gorgeous with thirty foot ceilings, bay windows along one wall curtained with heavy embroidered fabric. The floor was marble and everything glistened. There was a staircase that led down into the room and I stood at the top, I looked down and saw Alek who looked perhaps just as nervous as I felt and desperately hoped I didn't look. He looked up and saw me and froze. When I saw his face my heart instantly slowed and my breathing all but stopped. His mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were trying to take everything in. I blushed and ducked my head smiling at this boy that had captured my heart so effectively. I spun in a slow circle for him and then descended the stairs.

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><p>She was stunning. Absolutely gorgeous in every way possible. Every thought I'd had about breaking her heart instantly flew out of my head and I felt my heart skip a beat. She wore a red satin floor length dress. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and it hugged her hourglass figure perfectly like it had been painted on her. It draped off her hips into a pool of crimson at the floor. A single gold chain hung around her neck and disappeared between her breasts. I'd never seen anything so beautiful. I knew I was staring and that my mouth was hanging open. She ducked her head and smiled. She turned in a circle and then came down the stairs to me. I noticed now for the second time the birth mark she had on her shoulder, it was interesting to me the arrow shaped dark brown skin on her shoulder. It was perfect and beautiful and only seemed to add to the mystery that she was to me. She placed a hand on my chest and smiled up at me. I stared into her eyes and leaned in kissing her lightly on the temple before taking her hand in mine and pressing my lips to her fingers. Again she smiled.<p>

"Gorgeous." I said before lacing our fingers together and leading her farther into the room. We stayed to the outskirts for awhile, I wanted to avoid introducing her to anyone for as long as possible keeping this special creature to myself for just a little while longer. I could hear people talking. They were saying how perfect a couple we made and how sad it was that Sekhmet's gift had not been found yet. They felt bad for her, thinking my heart was eternally fated to another. I'd never been good with rules and that one would be no different. There was a girl supposedly in Greece that our people believed to be the warrior lady. I didn't care, I shut down everything and focused on the vision that was hanging on my every word and holding my hand.

"Alek" I heard my aunt say. I looked up and saw her and Jasmine standing in front of us. "Who is your friend?" she asked.

"This is Chloe." I said. "Chloe, this is my Aunt Valentina, and you met Jasmine the other day." I said making sure to watch my Aunt. I knew she had my best interest at heart but sometimes she overstepped. She could be imposing, and I could tell that tonight that had been her objective. She was a tall woman and she was wearing six inch heels tonight. Her white dress was full length and just grazed the floor, the empire waist only added to the picture. She raised an eyebrow but offered her hand to Chloe who tentatively took it. Jasmine smiled at Chloe murmuring a greeting. Jasmine just like her mother looked imposing. She was wearing a deep green one shouldered dress that fit in all the right places. Chloe made small talk and then my family made some excuse about needing to make the rounds of the room. Once they were gone Chloe turned to me wide eyed.

"What does your Aunt do that they throw a ball like this?"

"You could call it a private witness protection program. I'm not exactly sure what she does, it's all very secretive." I explained. Chloe just nodded and took a deep breath. "C'mon, King, dance with me?" I asked pulling her to the middle of the room where people were dancing. I spun her around before placing her hand around my neck. She placed her other hand with the other and I placed my hands on her waist being respectful in their placement not so much for her sake but for the older people that were here, there would be a time later when we could dance more to our tastes. She was gorgeous, I still couldn't get over how gorgeous she was. "You know, it's a curious thing, when I had my accident and I was over at your house- when we said goodbye you kissed me on the cheek, when I got home the bruise was gone. The wound on my hip too, and I distinctly remember your hip pressing against mine that night too." I told her looking curiously at her. We had never figured out why I'd healed so quickly. Mai had extremely fast healing processes but not that fast. "I have a feeling that it was you."

"How would I have done that?" She asked. I raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I don't know, but there was definitely an outline of your beautiful lips on my cheek." I told her. She ducked her head only for a moment before looking back up at me exposing her blushed cheeks to my eyes.

"Maybe I'm just good for you." She whispered. I was truly happy, content, whole. I had never known what it meant for your heart to smile until I'd met this girl and now I never wanted to lose that feeling. I was slipping back, slipping back into my selfish ways.

"Maybe you are." I told her before pulling her close.

"So, how long is this ball?" She asked. I laughed lightly, careful to not draw too much attention.

"Later the younger generation moves to their own party, don't worry it won't be this dull- I mean formal- all night." I told her smiling. We continued to dance for another two songs before I was forced to make the rounds. After all, although in Chloe's mind this was a ball for Valentina's business, I was the true guest of honor here and had to say hello to my guests. I found myself dying for the party later, I needed to let loose and relax, and I had a feeling Chloe was an amazing dancer.

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><p><strong>What do you think will happen? She didn't transform... is all lost for Alek and Chloe? Is he going to have to give her up breaking not only her heart but his as well? <strong>

**Review about the chapter!**

**So I got 11 reviews... Thanks for all who did review on this chapter. But this chapter is pretty good in my opinion and in the opinion of those who reviewed. If you want the next chapter- which is already written- you should definitely review. I'm gonna wait for nine more before I update. And Go!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**So even though I got a pm yesterday that really just made me want to not post this chapter today- I'm going to anyway because one persons comment should not make the restoff you suffer. **

**Enjoy**

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><p>My assumption was right. Chloe was an amazing dancer. Around midnight the younger generation of Mai made their way to a room not too far from the one the ball had originally started in. The room was completely dark, someone had hooked up a strobe light in a corner but that was it. We were Mai we didn't need the light that most humans did. At first Chloe faltered not being able to see anything but then her eyes began to adjust as much as a human's can. I felt her hand squeeze mine and she pulled back wanting to go back to where she could see. I transferred her hand to my other so that her arm crossed my chest and lay the other hand on the curve of her thigh. I pulled her close and led her inside the room. "It's just us, now." I told her and moved her farther in to the dancing mass of bodies. She shrank against me her body cowering against mine. Still holding her hand in mine I wrapped my arms around her stomach and pulled her closer.<p>

"I can't see," She said. I saw a couple of the Mai closer to us stop for a minute looking over at us confused. I placed my mouth next to her ear and whispered.

"You don't have to see. I'm here, just don't let go of me." I told her knowing that this would probably be the last time we were ever this close. She nodded and we danced. We danced for a long time. We were both sweaty and out of breath by the time we stopped and pushed our way through the crowds to go outside. I was impressed by Chloe's stamina, it was hard to keep up at a Mai dance, but she did it expertly and still looked beautiful doing so. We were outside now on one of the many terraces of the hotel she stepped away from me and walked to the edge. I could see her chest heaving as she caught her breath. I had undone my bowtie and taken off my jacket. My shirt was unbuttoned at the top and the sleeves were rolled up. I was able to take off pieces of my attire to cool myself down, my poor Chloe on the other hand was not. She looked beautiful in the moonlight though, the light glistened off of her wet skin and it outlined her curvaceous figure in the silky red dress. How could I break up with her, how could I tell her that it would never work. I couldn't, I couldn't tell her and yet eventually I'd have to. Sooner or later I'd have to let her go and I thought it was better to do it sooner rather than later to spare us both. I just couldn't bring myself to do it though I wanted to do it tonight but I couldn't. I was a coward, I knew that through and through. I'd never thought of myself as a coward I'd always run ahead when I saw danger, hitting it full on but now, this I couldn't do. I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost three in the morning. I couldn't let myself chicken out, I was doing this for her. No matter how much she hated me I was breaking up with her to keep her safe and to make her happy- eventually. "Perhaps I should get you home-" I told her. She turned to look at me, a radiant smile on her face but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She nodded and came over to me holding her hand out for me. I looked at it closing my eyes as I took her small delicate hand in mine. I led her back through the hotel and to the limos waiting outside. I helped her in and then slid in next to her. She leaned her head on my shoulder and placed a hand on my bicep.

"Tonight was really fun," She said sleepily. "Thank you." I turned my head and placed a hand in her hair and kissed the top of her head inhaling the sweet scent of her soft blonde hair.

"You're welcome." I told her sadly. She looked up at me the concern etched on her face. "Are you okay?" She asked. I looked away from her for a minute, looking out the window while I tried to get control of my voice and the tears that were quickly welling up in my eyes. She must have seen the light reflect off of them though because she sat up and turned slightly in her seat. She was looking at me and she pulled my face towards her with a gentle hand. "What's wrong?" She asked. I looked at her. Her beautiful face was filled with concern and compassion, she was waiting to listen. I nestled my face into her hand and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath and then looked up at her. The car came to a stop outside her house and I looked down at her hands.

"Can we go to your porch?" I asked her. She furrowed her brow but nodded none the less. I opened the door keeping her hand in mine as I helped her out of the car and up the stairs of her house. She leaned against the railing of her porch and pulled me next to her.

"What's wrong, Alek?" She asked me. She had no idea what was coming, she didn't know I was about to break her heart.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. I saw the confused look on her face and sighed. "Chloe, you are beautiful and perhaps the sweetest girl I've ever met. You are so incredibly special and I love spending time with you, I do, I wouldn't trade our time for the world, which is why it is so hard to say this. We can't date, we can't do this-" I said motioning between her and myself. "It won't ever work out with us and I think it's a good time now to let me go before we get anymore invested." She opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off before she could, I wouldn't finish if I got interrupted. "Love, you've got it good here, you don't need to mess with a guy going nowhere. You don't need me baby, I'm no good for you and I'll only break your heart. You can do a lot better and I know that you will. I love you, Chloe, I do- but we aren't, we'll never work. We are too different. I'm sorry." I told her I squeezed her hand one more time and then leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. I felt a tear hit the top of my lips before I pulled away. Her eyes were cloudy with tears and they spilled over, trailing down her cheeks and clumping her eyelashes together. "I'm so sorry," I whispered before I walked away from her. I walked down the stairs, each step was more exhausting than the last as it became harder and harder to not turn back and take her in my arms and comfort her. I opened the door to the car and took one look back. She was crouched and hunched over cradling her knees in her arms. Her body racked with sobs, I slipped into the car and closed the door.

"Where to, sir?" the driver asked.

"Just drive around for a while." I told him rubbing my head. I closed the screen to the driver and leaned forward. Tears exploded from my eyes. I was going through the most pain I'd ever felt in my life. My heart was not just breaking, it was shattering into a million tiny pieces that would never be put back together.

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><p>I hadn't heard half the things he'd told me. His words were slowly falling through my sub conscious destroying everything in their path as they settled into the depths of her heart. Each word added more weight and each added weight only added to the continuous sinking and breaking of my heart. He had placed a gentle kiss on my cheek and then walked away. He had just walked away, walked down the steps of her house and gotten in the car. I was curled up now, the pain in my chest too much to handle. I held my knees as I crouched on the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks and sobs racking my whole body. I cried and I cried trying to wash away all of the pain I was feeling but nothing was happening. I heard the door to my house open and I heard my mom's quick footsteps come over to me as she leaned down and put a hand on my back.<p>

"Chloe, Chloe what happened?" She asked rubbing her hand along my back and trying to pull me from my position. I didn't want to move I didn't want to do anything. I didn't hardly want to live anymore. I know that that sounds overly dramatic but it was true. Alek had been everything I wanted, he'd been incredible. He had treated me right, he had showed me what it was to really be loved and to love, it wasn't about the stupid fluttery feelings that led to wild make out sessions, it wasn't about the physical. I could have gone my whole life without ever kissing him if I could fall asleep at night knowing he would always be there in the morning, knowing that he would make me laugh, make me feel special in a way that only he had done, knowing that his heart belonged eternally with mine. Instead he'd betrayed me, he'd broken my heart and left me alone. He had told me we were too different and that he'd only break my heart if we stayed together, but he'd broken it anyway. My mother was worried about me, she didn't know what had happened, all she knew was that I was crying. She was sitting now, her warm soft hands rubbing my back still. She was crooning things like "it will work out, it will get better. It's okay hon." None of those were true, they would never be true. I sat back and lay my head on her chest. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face as far into the soft sweater that she was wearing. There were tear stains on my dress the one that had signified so much to me now was a reminder forevermore of what Alek had done. He had led me on, he had flirted with me and asked me out, he had been sweet and caring, he had lied to me about his feelings. Alek had broken my heart, when I had only just learned to trust him with it. My mother wrapped her arms around me and kissed the top of my head. She had stopped talking, stopped asking questions accepting the fact that I wasn't strong enough to talk about it. We sat on our porch for a long time, only going inside when the first rays of the sun were coming up. My mom stood and taking my hands in hers pulled me to my feet. I didn't want to go anywhere, I wanted to sit in that spot on the porch for the rest of my days, I wanted to cry and mourn and not think of anything, I just wanted to be. She led me upstairs to my bedroom. She sat me down on the bed and started taking of my shoes and jewelry. She undid my hair pulling out all of the bobby pins and setting them on the desk. She took my face in her hands and made me look her in the eyes. "Go take a shower and go to sleep, you are too exhausted. We will talk in the morning." She told me. She went into the bathroom and started the shower for me before leaving and closing the door quietly behind her. I sat on the bed for a while, everything felt numb. My head felt hazy and I could barely see anything as I got up and unzipped my dress. The red satin fabric fell and pooled around my feet. I stepped out and walked over to the bathroom. I didn't register anything that was happening. I climbed into the shower and let the hot water scald my skin trying to burn away everything, but like the washing away with tears it didn't work either. I could see everything, I could hear everything and yet everything was completely dead to me. I didn't even process the feeling of my razor cutting my ankle until I saw the red trail of blood snake down my ankle. There was something about the way it mixed with the water that transfixed Chloe and it wasn't until there was a knock on her bathroom door that she looked up. She shut the water off, wrapped herself in a towel and opened the door. Her mother was standing on the other side. "You were in there for a long time, I wanted to make sure you were okay." I nodded and then looked down. I could feel the blood running down my leg now and dripping into a puddle on the wood. She followed my gaze and gasped. She pushed past me into the bathroom pulling out the first aid kit. She made me sit on the bed and then sat down. She pulled my ankle to her and carefully wiped away the blood with a warm cloth and then just as carefully placed a band aid over the cut. Her fingers felt so nice on my legs they were cool and soft grazing over the skin as she made sure her daughter was alright. My eyes were slowly closing as the exhaustion and utter despair finally caught up with each other. I lay back in my bed and closed my eyes curling my legs up to my chest. I wrapped my arms tight around a pillow squeezing it into me trying to squeeze the pain away this time. I wouldn't ever be rid of this pain, it would stay with me for the rest of my life. I felt my mother's soft lips press against my temple and then the lights were off and the door was closed. I was left by myself in the dark with not even my thoughts to comfort or torment me, I was truly alone tonight and the only one that I wanted to be with was the one who didn't love me anymore.

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><p><strong>I know that a lot of you begged me not to do this, to not let this happen, but part of you had to know that this was where I was going. I'm not going to lie to you either, it doesn't get better; but I also know that most of you who are reading this have read my other stories too and know that I am a die hard Chalek fan so don't stress. Them together is just as big a pay off for me as it is for you- and again, Chloe is not Mai- sorry. <strong>

**BUT KEEP READING GOOD CHALEKINESS IS COMING!**

**Okay so enough of me rambling, it's time for you to review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**So, some of you might not like the fact that you are going to get four new chapters and only this one is the real new one. I'm really sorry and I hope that this lost chapter of Different Kind of Knight. I was reading this story over and realized that this was not in it and there was no way I could just leave it out because it was integral to the story and character development. So anyway, lost chapter! **

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><p>I didn't want to go to school today but my mother had forced me. She had told me that it was time to stop hiding and to face life full on. It had been almost five days and I'd missed three days of school. She was right I couldn't afford to miss more school than that but I wasn't ready to face the world. I wasn't ready to face a world without Alek. I didn't want to see him in the hall, I didn't want to see him with another girl, I didn't want to see him anywhere. I wanted to stay in my room and never come out again but my mother had put her foot down and so I was sitting in Amy's car while she drove to school. I was wearing a pair of baggy sweat pants, a t-shirt, and a zip up hoodie. My hair was thrown back into some form of a bun and I had no makeup on. Amy was chattering away trying to catch me up on the last few days and trying to take my mind off of everything. It wasn't working, all I could do was think about how much I just wanted to jump out of her car and run the other way. Then she pulled into the parking lot and we were getting out. I stopped outside the doors and took a deep breath. I didn't have to do anything, just go from class to class and go home. I could do that. Then I felt the slight burning sensation of cold metal between my breasts. I closed my eyes and remembered the necklace I had yet to have the strength to take off. I headed straight for my locker and opened it unloading the books I'd need for my first few classes. I kept telling myself to breathe and keep my head down. That's what my plan was, it turned out to be a very bad idea because it also meant that I couldn't see where I was going. I was making my way from second period to third when I ran into something hard and almost fell over. Strong arms snaked around my waist and brought me back to my feet. I looked up into the dark brown eyes that I had once thought I knew so well that were looking at me to make sure I was on my feet. I stepped back quickly like his hands stung- they did- and I quickly shook my head looking down at my feet and ran down the hall. I just had to run into him. I sat down in the back of my English class and pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head in them before anyone saw the tears that were welling in my eyes. I knew there was no stopping the tears from coming, I'd tried to stop them before and it never did any good, all I could do was let them come and hope they passed soon. No one else was in the classroom yet and I could be alone, for that I was thankful. I heard footsteps but didn't look up. It didn't matter who it was. I continued to cry trying to be as quiet as possible but I heard the footsteps come closer and I knew that whoever it was, was not going to just leave me alone. They placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly.<p>

"Chloe?" a male voice asked. "Are you okay?" he asked. It was my English teacher Mr. Jenkins. I looked up briefly and nodded then I stopped and shook my head. "What happened?" He asked moving himself into a desk next to me.

"I'm fine really, it's just stupid stuff." I told him. I didn't want to be the girl who couldn't get over a guy.

"Chloe, you are upset- it's very clear. Now, I know you. You don't get upset by many things so whatever it is it isn't stupid. Now, tell me what is wrong." He was looking at me with all the care in the world and all of sudden words started spilling out of my mouth and those words were forming sentences that I hadn't been able to tell anyone else. When people started trickling into the classroom he stood up taking me with him. He took me to his office and let me sit down on the couch. "You can rest here, anytime you need a place to go, Chloe. My office and I am here." I nodded and wiped my nose with a tissue. He closed the door and went back to class. I lay on the couch for a very long time before I felt strong enough to go back out into the world. The tears had subsided the outright pain had subsided too leaving only the large dull ache of my shattered heart.

I had been looking for Chloe all week. I'd been looking down the hallways, talking to Amy and Paul. No one knew where she was. I didn't blame her for not being here, I wouldn't be here if Valentina hadn't put her foot down. She had put up with me for one day as I sulked and growled around the apartment. She had put more people on the search for "Sekhmets gift" thinking that like every other time before all I needed was new entertainment. I'd overheard her on the phone with the five pride leaders of the world that made the decisions for the Mai as a whole. It made me sound like an irresponsible spoiled princeling, which I'm sure just added to the view the world had on me already. The truth was I didn't want a new plaything as my friends had told me they would find, I didn't want to go out and party, I didn't want to flirt with people. I just wanted to be for a while. I honestly wanted to be with Chloe, but I was doing this for her, I was keeping myself from her so she would be safe- safe from me. When She'd ran into me today I wanted to tell her that I was sorry, ask her if she was okay. She answered that question for me when she pulled away from me like my hands burned her and then ran down the hall. The tears were already forming in her eyes when she shook her head at me and pushed past me. I wanted to yell down the hall after her, to chase her and wrap her in my arms. I wanted to comfort her, but I knew that my mere presence would not comfort her. It would only cause her further pain. Erik and a few of my other friends just waited looking at me as I stared at her down the hall.

"C'mon dude, what's up with you?"

"She's just a girl, you've got the whole school throwing themselves at you, she doesn't matter." It was the last comment that made me mad. I turned on him pushing him against the lockers.

"She does matter," I growled before I felt Erik's hand on my shoulder pulling me away. I let the guy go and walked off down the hall. I heard Erik trail after me but I just kept walking I wasn't sure where I was going but I needed to blow off some steam and try to stop thinking about the blonde girl who had captured my heart and whose heart I'd broken.

The whole day was miserable, not that the other days hadn't been. Today however I'd seen Chloe, I'd seen how she was doing and realized that she was having just as hard a time as I was. I felt bad, I really did I never wanted to break her heart, I still don't. There is nothing I want more than to find her and take her in my arms telling her I was wrong and that I loved her and then kiss her, nothing I wanted more. But that would not be fair. She would die, and I'd be left to mourn her death and my stupid selfish decision.

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><p><strong>How did you like the lost chapter? <strong>

**Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me super happy. I think you know what to do.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>It had been almost a week and a half now, and nothing was better. I still saw Alek on a day to day basis and I still cried myself to sleep at night but I was getting better at hiding the pain I felt during the day. I could see him at school and just walk down the hall, secretly feeling my heart break again but not let it show on my face. I was back at work and when he came into the coffee shop every day I was able to look past him and do my work no matter how much I projected this healthy happy Chloe on the outside, inside Chloe was still dying. She was still just crawling through each day. He was in the coffee shop now and although every time I looked over I couldn't help but feel like he was watching me. Which was absurd, because why would he be? He broke up with me, he broke my heart, and he turned away from me not the other way around. I should be the one looking at him, wishing that I was with him. I continued to work around the store getting done nearly twice what I normally do because I wanted to keep busy.<p>

At around closing time I heard the bell over the door ding. I dropped what I was doing and looked up to see who had come in. It was a guy maybe around 20 years old. He was cute Chloe had to admit that. He was tall with broad shoulders, dark brown hair that went in every which direction in a semi planed misshaped way. His eyes, however, were a clear blue. I went over to him and smiled. "Can I help you with something?" I asked. He looked around him at the tables and picked up a hat.

"Kitty ears- cliché or-" he started. I squinted at him trying to figure out what he was doing. I don't think he came here for a kitty hat but I would play along anyway, maybe I can get him to buy the hat anyway.

"Well, it depends, with what you have on it's not cliché at all." I said smiling. He smiled back and didn't say anything for a long time. He just stared at me and I began to feel self conscious. I looked down and rubbed my arm.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I'm new here. I'm Brian." He said offering a hand. I extended my own and shook his hand. It was warm and strong. I looked at our hands that were still joined and smiled. I got a little butterfly feeling in my stomach. I smiled and looked up into his blue eyes.

"I'm Chloe." I told said. "3-6" I smiled and then frowned. "I mean, I'm here from three to six every day, if you need any more hats." I tried to cover. He smiled laughing lightly. He still hadn't let go of my hand and I couldn't say that I was upset. I heard a chair scrape and then clatter to the floor in the coffee house. I spun around, startled by the sudden noise and saw Alek storm from the building. I frowned and sighed heavily. What did he have to be upset about? Not only was this only helping a customer- for now- but he was the one who dumped me. I turned back around and saw Brian's expectant look.

"Must have been some bad coffee." He offered smiling. "Friend of yours?" He asked.

"H-" I sighed. "Kind of, we used to be at least. It's a long a story- Is there anything else I can help you with?" I asked.

"I hope I didn't screw anything up for you-" He looked down and I saw the barest hint of a blush. "I've come in the coffee shop a couple times and seen you, I just had to say hello. I don't actually need a kitty hat."

I nodded, I knew that there was something not right about him, and that was it. Okay, I wasn't sure whether to be flattered or creeped out. I laughed hesitantly and his blush grew even more. "I'm sorry, that sounded really- I'm not a stalker or anything. Like I said I'm new here and I don't have any friends and you seemed pretty cool."

I smiled, I felt kind of bad for him and it wasn't like I was swimming in friends. Nobody had ever seen me and thought I was cool. At one point I had thought that Alek had, but as of recent happening I knew that that was a lie. It had been a game; he had made me fall in love with him and then broken my heart like all of the other girls he'd messed around with.

"Okay, um, I don't normally do this- I don't ever do this-"

"Me either" He said smiling.

"I get off in-" I looked at the clock on the wall. "like fifteen minutes, we can go next door and get coffee." I said. A huge smile spread across his face exposing the perfectly white straight teeth that his full lips had been hiding up until now. I smiled back and for the first time I wasn't thinking about the pain in my heart.

Lana had me close fifteen minutes later than closing time. I felt really bad because Brian was just sitting in the coffee shop waiting for me. When I'd finally locked the doors and gone over to the table he was sitting at, it was almost 6:30. "I'm so sorry, my boss is kind of a witch sometimes- I'm super sorry for making you wait." He smiled.

"No, problem- I had a cup of coffee already, but-"

"I'll order-"

"What do you want, I'll get it, I think I can drink another one." He said getting up out of his chair.

"Um, sure I'll have a pumpkin spice latte." I told him. He nodded and then went over to the counter. I sat down and slumped down relaxing for the first time in the last three hours. Brian handed me a coffee cup and then sat down in the seat across from me. I sipped the hot coffee and savored it for a minute closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath of the fragrant pumpkin aroma that was emerging from the cup. All of a sudden, Chloe felt very awkward and remembered that she was sitting with a complete stranger that she didn't know anything about and now had to attempt to make conversation with. I looked up at Brian and smiled uneasily. He smiled back and then looked down at his coffee cup.

"I'm sorry, this is awkward-" He said. I laughed and shook my head.

"No, it's not awk- yeah it kind of is" I laughed harder.

"Um, well. I just moved here from New York, where I was going to school."

"Why'd you come back?" I asked as I thought over the fact that, I a sophomore in high school was having coffee with a college guy.

"Family issues, no big deal. What about you?" he asked leaning forward to look me in the eyes and really listen to me.

"I'm a 16, and I – wow this is the second time in a month that I've done this with a guy and I'm really bad at it." I looked down and then realized what I said and looked up. "Not that I have a boy friend- I don't, we broke up. Anyway-" I trailed off realizing that I was rambling.

"I'm sorry about that-" He said looking around the room unsure of what to do.

"It's-" I paused knowing that what I said was almost a complete lie, although the more I sat here with him the less and less of a lie. "It's not a big deal, I'm over it." I said looking over at the table where Alek had been sitting. I shook my head softly and looked up at him. It continued to be awkward for a little bit but we soon found a rhythm that worked for us both. I couldn't say that the pain in my heart was gone, but while I was talking with Brian all thoughts of Alek were miraculously gone from my head for the first time since that night. I was smiling and laughing and it felt really good, it felt natural.

Later that night I was at Amy's for one of our 'study' sessions. We lay out all our books, blast music, grab everything edible in the house and then just gab all night. We were laying on our backs on her bed staring at the ceiling when I opened my mouth. "I kind of went on a date." I told her. She looked over at me her mouth open and her eyes begging for every detail. "I don't know him. I met him in the store and then we went for coffee." I said still staring at the ceiling.

"Chloe!" She squeeled. "You've been holding out on me!" She said slapping me lightly on the stomach. Then she sat up, "What about-" She stopped not wanting to cause me the pain that I had felt anytime someone mentioned Alek's name.

"I don't know. At first it was weird, like Alek was there in the coffee shop when I met Brian but he stormed out while we were talking, and then Brian just- I'm comfortable with him. I mean I miss Al-Alek," I said his name a little more forceful than I needed but I was going to train myself to say his name again, I was going to start moving on. "But when I was with Brian, it was like I didn't even think about him!" I told her. She smiled but I could tell she was still thinking about something. "What?" I asked

"Well, I just don't want this to be a rebound thing where you end up getting hurt again." She said. I thought for a moment.

"It's not a rebound thing, I don't even know if it's a thing. I'll probably never see him again but at least I've moved on enough to talk to another guy and not think about Alek." I told her. She nodded and then looked down at one of her text books. "What are you doing?" I asked her. Her head shot up and she looked at me with big eyes. I pointed to the text book and gave her a weird look. She looked down and shuddered before pushing the book off her lap and onto the floor.

"I have no idea!" She said and we both started giggling.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry, for this chapter, i know that you dont like Brian- go ahead and rant if you want to. I'm sorry for next chapter too. But please just keep reading! <strong>

**Reviews are always appreciated- real reviews are extra special to me. make me smile people!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I'd been watching Chloe while she worked. I wasn't stalking her or anything I just missed her. I missed being around her. She could sense I was watching her because I had to duck quickly when she looked over at me. This was as close as I allowed myself to get to her, this is what I could trust. It was close enough where I could see her, hear her, even smell her; but it was far enough that I would change my mind before actually talking to her or worse kissing her. I'd been doing this for a week now, ever since she came back to school. I'd come here after school and sit in the coffee shop pretending to study while I watched the girl of my dreams. Today, however, today was different. Today right before closing some guy came in. He was decent looking- what I'm secure enough in my masculinity to admit when someone is good looking- but he was like 20 and he was flirting with her. I could hear the whole conversation. He didn't give a damn about the kitty ears, he was after Chloe and I could sense it. She of course was clueless or so it seemed. Then he introduced himself and held out his hand. I pleaded with Chloe in my head not to take it to just stick to business and sell him the stupid hat, but she took his hand and he held it. He didn't shake it, he held her hand and for a freaking long time too. They both just stared at their hands like there was something amazing happening. He's just sweating all over her hand- how is that special? I was finally fed up with it and got up. Unfortunately my anger got a hold of me and I sent my chair flying back with a loud crash. I grabbed my bag and book and left quickly. I saw Chloe turn to watch me, I'd startled them both and at least he dropped her hand. I heard him murmur something about bad coffee and asked if I was a friend. I stopped in my tracks waiting to hear her reply.<p>

"Kind of, we used to be at least. Can I-" I stopped listening and walked all the way home. Everything was hazy, everything was messed up and I didn't see anything as I walked home. I know that that's dangerous for me but right now I didn't care if I lost a life, it might take away some of the pain I was feeling right now.

Everyone would tell me I had no right to be upset about Chloe seeing some other guy that I was the one who broke up with her. That was true, I had broken up with her, but it had broken my heart just as much as it had broken hers. I sat in my room for awhile just staring in random directions. I was sulking and I knew it but I was hurting and somehow this was numbing it. I heard my phone buzz and turned to find it. I looked at the screen and saw I had a message from Erik.

**Erik: Hey man, want to go out tonight and blow off some steam. You've got a lot to blow.**

I frowned at his words, was it really that obvious? I shook my head and then looked out the window. Why shouldn't I? I asked myself. Chloe has obviously moved on, why shouldn't I?

**Alek: Yeah, club. 10. **

I texted him back and then looked at my watch. It was almost eight. I made myself some food and watched a basketball game for a while before getting ready. I threw on a pair of black jeans and a button up royal blue shirt and left. I drove to Erik's house and picked him up. It wasn't long before we were at the Red Sea. It was a Mai night club, normally I didn't care what club we went to but tonight I wanted to let loose and forget. I wanted to find a girl and pour my attention into her for a night instead of my sad mixed up life that I had royally screwed over.

The bouncer let us in, I was after all the Uniter, and we went straight for the bar. Like most Mai establishments they did not serve alcohol, brawls between Mai tended to end far worse than most human ones. We ordered drinks and scoped out the place. It was completely dark except for the dimly lit floor, it was one of the marvels of Mai dance clubs, you didn't need the lights. There were booths and tables around the outskirts but the primary focus was the dance floor. I'd never understood why you put tables and chairs in a club anyway, you went there to drink and to dance. You had the floor and the bar and you were good to go. I looked around, glancing over the mass of bodies on the dance floor, to the tables in the back. I may be the uniter but even I knew you didn't take a girl that was already on the dance floor, their guy was usually right there. In one of the back corners I caught a girl watching me. I smiled and nodded in her direction. I finished off my drink and patted Erik on the shoulder. "You're on your own." I told him and walked over. I could have sent a drink, but that's not how I rolled. I didn't need to buy girls anything. I walked over and leaned down so I could whisper in her ear. I glanced down just a bit to see the taught tan skin of her breasts that were being pushed up over the top of her very tight shirt. I smiled and I knew it showed in my voice.

"You are very pretty, care to dance?" I asked. She nodded taking my hand in hers she led me to the dance floor. She was a good dancer and she knew exactly what she was doing. I watched her as she moved to the music, like all Mai movement was something that came easily to us, and she was no exception. She turned so she was facing me and pushed herself against me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her pulling her even closer. I wrapped a hand around the back of her neck tangling my fingers in her hair thick hair. I leaned down and pushed my lips against hers. I waited to see if she would push me away but she didn't. She returned the kiss with just as much lust. Her tongue pushed against my lips begging for entrance. I opened my mouth to hers, and our tongues wrestled for dominance. We broke apart for breath and she turned her head so she could kiss my jaw line and then down my neck. Then she backed up turned around in a few circles to the music and came back to me. I could already feel my cares disappearing, all thoughts of Chloe were gone and I was enjoying myself. All my thoughts were focused on the girl in front of me, the girl whose name I didn't even know. That didn't matter to me so much; this night was all it was- this night. Besides, I had a prophesied girl somewhere and yet another who held my heart. This wouldn't change anything except for how I was feeling right now.

I wanted to feel better, I wanted to stop crying, to stop thinking about how I had given up the only girl I'd ever loved. I wanted to stop thinking about how she had already moved on and found someone else. I wanted to forget everything and be someone else for one night- even if that's all it was and I had to go back tomorrow.

We danced the rest of the night, Erik had come over around three and told me he was leaving, which was fine, the way things were going I didn't want to have to drop him off first. Jasmine wasn't home tonight and Valentina was out of town. There was no point in me going back to my place alone to return to my gloomy thoughts. I looked down at the girl again. I bent down a little to whisper in her ear. Her fingers played against my cheek. "What do you say we go somewhere else?" I asked her. I saw her think about it for a minute, while she drew little circles on my chest with a slender finger, and then she gave me a look. Not a bad look mind you, one of those suggestive ones. Those looks that I'm usually the one to give. One eyebrow cocked, lips pursed and slightly tilted head. She nodded and the grabbed my hand. I led her off the dance floor and outside into the cool night air. She wrapped her arm around my waist and snuck it in the back pocket of my jeans as we walked to my car. Normally, that was my thing. I was the one that stuck my hands in back pockets, but this was a completely new night and it's not like I had anything to be ashamed of. It was a long drive home as San Francisco traffic struck once again, you'd think that at 6 am it wouldn't be too busy, but it gave us some time to at least get to know each other a little bit. Her name was Aleisha and she was from San Jose, she was here for a photo shoot. The world loved using the Mai as models, between the darker skin of most of us the large exotic eyes and high defined cheekbones we were a modeling agency's dream so it was no surprise that she was a model. She went on to hint that she was a lingerie model but I didn't push it, tonight I didn't care what she did. I told her my name was Alek, but seeing as how she didn't mention a last name I felt no need to mention my own or tell her I was the uniter. That wasn't who I was tonight, anyway. We made small talk and then we were back at the apartment. As I opened the door I felt a sinking feeling of dread come over me. I hated the awkward little bit between the small talk in the car and the talking when all you want to do is make out once you get in the apartment- don't get me wrong I haven't done this a lot, maybe once before, but it's pretty awkward and I hate it. Luckily, however, I turned around to shut the door behind us and before the bolt even clicked I could feel her run her hands across my back. She slipped under my arms in between me and the door and reached up behind my neck pulling my head down towards her. I put my hands up against the door on either side of her head and braced myself. Her lips were warm against mine and her hands raced over my back. She pushed against me moving my legs back one step at a time with her own. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her closer so that there was no space between us. She slipped her hands down the back of my shirt and I could feel her claws dig into my skin. She didn't break the surface, only scratched. I didn't realize that we had continued to move backwards until the back of my legs hit the table and I staggered a little bit. She unbuttoned the third button of my dress shirt, the first one that was buttoned, and kissed my chest. Her lips, and her breath were hot against my skin. She pushed on my chest, pushing me back towards the table. I lay down and she stepped to the side for a moment. She stepped up on the chair and then straddled me, continuing to unbutton my shirt and kiss every inch of the exposed skin. My fingers played over the soft skin on her thighs and then I felt the cold air of the apartment blow against my skin. My cold belt buckle pushed against my stomach as her fingers pressed it down. I felt my eyes change into slits and the Mai inside took over completely.

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><p><strong>Yeah so like I said in the last chapter, I'm sorry I know you guys aren't super happy with the fact they aren't together. To be honest I dont know when (or if...) they are going to get back together because well i'm not sure when it's going to fit best but just keep reading!<strong>

**Reviews are always apprectiated- really reviews make me super happy. Make me smile people!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**Hey guys, so I'm in the middle of studying for exams but I just wanted to let you know that I took the time to write and upload this chapter anyway! Yay okay now read and review.**

**Ahh Sorry, my computer is freaking out and so I'm sorry but there are no new chapters, i'm still working on them...sorry.**

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><p>I sat on the couch, car keys in my hand. I jaw hurt from clenching it all night. I was brooding and I knew it. Tonight had such promise. The sun was coming up and shining through the windows. Jasmine would be home soon, she would see the table, and she would ask what had happened. I didn't want to tell her, I didn't want to tell her what had happened. I turned to look at the table. There was a chair that was turned over and the papers had been scattered across the floor. The vase of fake flowers had been pushed over, the flowers spilt and the stones had scattered as they hit the hardwood floor. All of these things could have stopped us, they could have broken me out of my determination to forget Chloe. It could have broken my determination to sleep with a girl I had only just met, a girl who was just a distraction. It didn't do anything, it wasn't until the cold metal of my belt buckle pushed against my skin, I'd lost control of myself, I turned Mai. I'd felt Aleisha's lips press against my stomach, she continued to kiss down until she hit the waistband of my jeans. That's where I had stopped her. Nothing had happened. I had learned that nothing would ever happen again as long as I was Mai. I'd felt myself turn, I'd felt my eyes switch and I'd felt that inner twist as my inner Mai came out. I'd expected for it to be a blur then. We'd make love like the animals we were and that would be that but instead, I'd pushed her off. I hadn't wanted her, I hadn't wanted her when I was human but he was willing to do anything to stop thinking about Chloe. I'd fallen in love with Chloe and now I was locked into it. I'd never be able to love anyone else. Prophecy or not, I would never love Sekhmet's gift like I loved Chloe. We might wed, we might live together, or even sleep in the same bed but I would never love her, I would never make love to her. I couldn't, it wasn't physically in me. That's why I had taken Aleisha home. I'd driven around for awhile and now I was sitting on the couch. I'd been here for about three hours now. Chloe had seeped farther into my heart than I'd thought. She'd stolen everything from me, everything I'd willingly handed to her and things I hadn't and there was no way I could get it back.<p>

Jasmine unlocked the door and froze a step into the apartment. Her eyes had immediately gone to the table and the mess that was there. She looked around quickly and saw Alek on the couch.  
>"What's wrong, were you attacked?" She asked closing and locking the door.<p>

"No," I told her.

"What happened?" she asked going over to the table. She started to straighten up.

"Don't, I'll straighten up-" I started but she continued. "Jasmine- Stop."

"What happened tonight?" She asked turning around to look at me.

"Nothing, nothing happened." I could see her mind working. Then I saw her nose twitch. I sniffed the air and cursed under my breath.

"Nothing happened? Then why do I smell perfume?"

"I had someone over." I told her

"Really? Do I know this someone?"

"No, I met h-" I stopped.

"You met her…tonight?" She asked.

"Damn it, Jasmine! Fine, I had a girl over. I met her tonight at a club and I brought her home. We had sex on the table. Happy?" I asked her before storming off to my bedroom. She was too quick though and stopped me from shutting the door.

"What about Sekhmet's Gift, Alek? What about the prophecy?"

"You can believe in that, I never took a pledge. I never promised I'd wait for someone who doesn't even exist. I broke my heart! Me! I broke it- and for once in the last week I was trying to forget. I was trying to let loose and have some fun, trying to get back some part of the me that I was before. I brought her home intending to just let whatever happened happen. She was all over me, the way I wanted, she was so- ." I dropped off seeing my cousin's face. I hadn't meant to go on so much about my sex life. "We didn't do anything, I couldn't. I'm still in love with Chloe." I told her looking down at my feet.

"I know you are. And there is no one that wants you to be happy more than me, to live the life you want to live- but that's not how our lives work. We are not our own, Alek-"

I stopped her. "That doesn't help, as you can see, hearing that my life is someone else's isn't that comforting."

"Let me finish." She told me pushing me back to sit on the bed. She leaned against the wall her hands behind her on the wall. "It sucks. I know that, Valentina knows that, every Mai knows that. We all think it sucks and we all take the pains and heartbreak. Those before us took those pains because they had hope, they had hope that you would come, today we take those pains because we have to believe that you can bring peace and that we won't have these pains anymore. We've been looking for a way to lift the curse for as many years as it's been around but even if it was Alek Sekhmet's gift would still be prophesied for you and you alone."

"I'll never love her." I told her quietly, feeling guilty about it.

"Who said it was a her." Jasmine said. I looked up at her straight face.

"What?" I asked standing up. She looked at me with a face that said "is that a problem?" and I just continued to stare. "Are you kidding me? The prophecy doesn't even say it's a girl?" Then saw her eyebrow rise slightly. She started to smile and then shake her head.

"Sit back down. I'm kidding. Look, Chloe was a wonderful girl I'm sure, and I'm sure you love her- but that doesn't mean that she is the last person you'll ever love. If she isn't Mai, I don't believe that you would find her as your life mate. I can't believe that Bastet is that sadistic. You don't have to love her, Alek, you don't. I'm not saying that you won't come to love her but it might not be love at first sight. And Prophecies don't always come true, at least not the way we originally interoperate them."

I sighed, I knew she was right, this heart break I was putting myself through- If Chloe was really meant to be mine- wouldn't happen. The person you were meant to be with didn't cause you heart break. I knew that, I only hoped that what my mother had told me was true. Maybe that was why I loved Chloe- or thought I loved Chloe so much. She reminded me of my mother. My adopted mother had been small and fair with blonde hair. She had been kind and I didn't blame them anymore for kicking me out. My father had been concerned for their safety and for the safety of the foster kids they consistently had in the house. I couldn't blame them, not when all they knew of mythical creatures was what they saw in Harry Potter and now what they saw in Twilight, people who were more animal than person, who couldn't be trusted. Sometimes he saw that in himself. They wouldn't have been safe and they made the right decision. Chloe was like my mother, they looked alike and they both had that soft caring nature to them. Chloe, however, was stronger than my mother she had my strength even if it was less noticeable than my own. I looked up, noticing that Jasmine was no longer in my room he lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I don't know how long I lay there how many times I'd had to blink to refocus my eyes. It wasn't me, this wasn't me. Falling in love with Chloe wasn't me either though. I had changed and somehow I'd have to figure out what this new me did to get over a girl.

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><p>My mom came upstairs and stood in my door way her arms crossed over her chest. "Well, don't you look gorgeous. I haven't seen you get all dressed up like this sense-" She stopped, seeing me pause in the mirror.<p>

"It's okay mom, you can say his name." I told her and then continued to apply mascara. I noticed the slight build up of glossiness in my eyes, but I was hoping that my mother didn't. "He was- is a good guy, I don't want to forget that. He hurt me, yes, but I'll get over it and maybe one day we can be friends." I told her. I saw the look she was giving me in the mirror it was somewhere in between surprise and pride.

"So, why are you so dressed up?" she asked me coming forward to sit on my bed. I took a deep breath and stuck the mascara brush in its tube before turning around. I smoothed the front of my skirt and modeled for her for a moment. I was wearing a cream colored scoop neck and back shirt with a deep red high waisted pencil skirt and black patent heals. I'd put my hair in a messy side bun and accessorized with simple classic jewelry. My mom covered her mouth and then pulled it away when she was smiling. "Gorgeous," she said. "So-" she said again urging me to answer the question.

"I'm going out, on a date." I told her slowly. She raised an eyebrow questioningly and I knew I was going to have to explain more. "I met this guy at the store a week ago and we had coffee after work, he's really sweet and really nice, and I don't know but I don't think about A-Alek" the hesitation was getting shorter and less noticeable now and for that I was glad. "when I'm with him. I don't know if it will go anywhere, to be honest I'm surprised he asked me out again at all, but- can I go?" I asked. I'd told Brian that I could go, mom had never cared if and when Alek and I went out, why would she care now.

"Do I get to meet this young man?" My mom asked. I froze for a moment, quickly trying to recover so my mom wouldn't be suspicious.

"Um, yeah of course. He's coming to pick me up." He was not young. At least not as young as my mom thought he was.

"He must be taking you someplace nice if you are dressing up in my clothes." She said giving me a playful glare. It was true the shirt and jewelry- minus the lion head that rested comfortably between my breasts- were hers. I smiled apologetically and then went to get my purse. "Where is he taking you?" she asked as I dug through my closet.

"Um, I don't know." To be honest I was dressing like this not so much because of where we were going but because I wanted to look older, more grown up. I finally found the grey purse I wanted and brought it out dumping all of the items from my normal purse into this one. That's when I heard the doorbell ring. We both kind of jumped and then almost raced to the door. At the last minute my mom beat me to the door. She opened the door pushing back a stray hair into her perfect bob and smiled. Brian stood with his hands in his dark wash jeans and his head down. Looking at him my heart had a minor pang of heartbreak as this familiar scene- and yet somehow different- and I ducked my head so he wouldn't see it. I looked up again once I'd composed myself and watched him. He had on dark wash jeans and a blue grey dress shirt just like Alek had worn when he took me out for my birthday. They were standing the exact same way but unlike Alek Brian was shifting his weight from foot to foot nervously and his shoulders were hunched a little. He made small talk with my mother but he was nowhere near as charming and I could tell that my mom was working to get anything out of him. I'm sure that as a college student he wasn't used to having to tell his dates mother where they were going and what time they'd be home. Finally my mom was satisfied and we were allowed to leave, but from the look on her face we were in for a talk later. Brian walked out of the door in front of me and went down to his car. I followed behind and climbed in when he opened the door.

The night was fun, we went and had dinner at this nice place right on the water. We talked and laughed and we had a great time but it was nothing like the end of the night. He walked me up to the door and right as I placed my hand on the door knob to go inside his hand caught my waist and I turned to look at him. His hand pressed against my back and his other squeezed my side. I looked up the scant inch into his eyes and searched for a minute. I looked down at his lips and then back up at his eyes. My lips parted slightly as I tried to suck in the air that was suddenly gone. I'd waited for this moment for so long, I'd wanted to be taken in someone's arms to look into their eyes and feel their heart pounding in their chest. I wanted to feel soft, warm lips press against mine, I'd dreamed about this moment for so long. Recently, though I'd been dreaming it was Alek and it was hard to get that out of my mind. Brian leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. My lips already being slightly parted were ready for his rushed entrance. His tongue found mine and I gasped. He pulled back taking a breath and then covered my mouth again with his own. I didn't know what to do, what to say, what to think I was completely stunned. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. I pushed my lips against his with as much lust as him. We broke apart a few minutes later and I rested my forehead against his chest for a minute before stepping back, whispering "Good Night" and slipping inside. I leaned against the inside of the door and took a deep breath before going upstairs.

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><p><strong>Hey... So, my guess is I'm not your favorite person right now, but mark my words you will really like this story if you keep reading! <strong>

**Please send me a review if you read this chapter, whether it's a really good or really sad review but I want to hear your thoughts!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I changed quickly into my pajamas and let my hair down before I went into my mom's room. She'd caught me trying to sneak up the stairs to my room and told me she wanted to hear everything. I'd asked if I could change and get ready for bed before telling her and she had grudgingly nodded. I crawled up onto the bed and lay down next to her. She nudged my head lightly and when I lifted it off the pillow slid her arm underneath. "So, Brian-" She started. I didn't know what she wanted so I just waited. "He's quite a man." She said, emphasizing the last word.<p>

"Did I forget to mention he was in college?" I asked looking up at her. She nodded but she had a smile on her face. "It was implied." I tried offering her a goofy smile.

"Those are not the kind of details that can be implied, my dear." She said. "So, what else was implied?" She asked.

"Nothing else." I told her. I was feeling really quiet. I didn't want to talk, there wasn't much to talk about. I'd had fun, I'd enjoyed myself. "He kissed me." I whispered, smiling a tiny secretive smile.

"What?" My mom asked excitedly.

"He kissed me goodnight." I told her again, this time louder.

"My baby girl, she got her first kiss tonight. Where's that baby book?" she asked pretending to get up.

"NO, mom don't! it's not that important." I told her pulling on her arm. My mom came back to the bed and sat down.

"I was just kidding. It's going in there, but I'll do it later." She said smiling. But it soon faded when she saw my face. "What's wrong, kiddo?" She asked. I snapped myself out of my train of thought and smiled.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong, I'm kind of tired though. I think I'm going to go to bed. School tomorrow," I stood up and kissed my mom on the cheek.

"Night, kiddo, I love you." She said. I turned around at the door and smiled.

"Implied. Me too, you." I told her and then stumbled down the hall to my room. I lay down in bed and continued to think. Maybe cold turkey was not the way to go, maybe small doses would be better. I smiled at the plan I'd come up with in my head, it would work... I hoped.

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><p>Amy and I were sitting in the hall waiting for school to start. We had our coffee in our hands and smiles on our faces as we laughed and talked about everything under the moon. I was taking the last sip of my double shot caramel macchiato when I heard the familiar noise I'd been waiting for all morning. Amy, strangely, hadn't asked why I wanted to get to school almost an hour early. I told her to wait here and then got up and walked down the hall. I don't know if I'd ever thought the hall way was this long before. My feet felt like they were weighted with lead. My heart was pounding as I walked towards the gym. Then I heard the stampede of feet and the bounce of basketballs. I stopped a little ways from the door and waited. I saw a couple of guys go by before I saw Alek. I took in a deep breath and exhaled. "Hey, Petrov, you're looking good." I called, placing a smile on my face. I'd dressed as well as I could today. I had on a pair of white skinny, jeans a gladiator platform heel, and a grey and peach striped off the shoulder shirt. I'd left my hair down and put on natural makeup except for my makeup which was a slightly exaggerated cat eye. Alek caught the ball and looked up at me. His teammates stopped too and stared at us. He took a couple steps forward and smiled.<p>

"Don't I always, King?" He asked. I was glad that he was joking with me. He looked over his shoulder and the others continued into the gym, but from the amount of noise just inside the doors I figured that they hadn't gone very far.

"Look, I know you have basketball practice, so I'll make this short. I still like you-" I paused seeing his smirk rise on his face. "And before you go and make an ass of yourself, let me finish. I'm not like all the other girls who continue to crawl after you. You and I both know we had something more than that and I think you were hurting just as much as I was. We were friends though, and we were good ones. I miss that. I miss saying hi in the hall and our little jokes. This is me saying that I want that back and that I'm willing to put aside the pain of what happened-" I paused again trying to swallow down the emotion that was welling up in my throat. "and move on as friends." I decided that I was going to stop talking now, for fear of babbling. He wasn't responding. He was just standing there, basketball resting between his hip and arm, not saying anything. Fear started to take over inside of me and it was all I could do to stand there and not visibly shake. He wasn't saying anything still; he continued to just stand there with that smirk on his face.

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><p>I was used to getting cat calls as people like to call it but not from that voice. I froze and looked up. Chloe king was standing in the hall, just as gorgeous as ever, and she was calling me. I smiled and walked over, I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming but that meant that this would end in a kiss, which was always nice. I pulled a smart remark out of somewhere and then listened to her say how she wanted to be friends, how she missed me and missed our relationship. She was willing to put everything aside, how I'd hurt her and broken her heart, and be my friend again. I knew that I could never be just friends with Chloe; I knew that my heart would always want her, deeply and in a deeper way, but I was not going to pass on my chance to be near her. I was staring at her now just watching her, I'd forgotten to respond and I could see her face changing. I tried to stumble across some words to tell her but nothing was coming out. I couldn't think of anything to say for the first time in my life. This is the point in movies- yes, I know I'm a guy but I watch chick flicks too, I don't know a guy that doesn't- when the guy would take her in his arms and kiss her passionately, no words needed. But I couldn't do that, I wanted to desperately. I wanted to kiss her now probably more than I ever had before but I still couldn't. I saw her take a tiny step back and stepped forward grabbing her arm.<p>

"No- I mean- Don't, Damn." I said looking down and shaking my head. She gave me a confused look but stayed where she was. I loosened my grip on her arm seeing her skin turn a light pink color under my fingers. "I'd love to still be friends with you." I could hear the guys snickering and making comments and I'm sure it would not be the end once I came to practice. "Why don't we talk later, after school, you could come to my game- only if you want to- and we could go out or something after, for a coffee maybe?" I asked her. She hesitated for a minute and reached to her back pocket for her phone but stopped.

"Sounds good. I might be late for the game because I have to work, is that okay?" she asked.

"Yeah of course, the first game is actually the women, so you don't have to be here until seven." I explained. Chloe smiled and nodded and then hesitated for a moment. We both knew that this conversation was over but we weren't sure what to do. I wanted to kiss her on the cheek and then run off to my practice but that was not a friendly thing to do.

"Well, um, looks like you should-" She started rocking back and forth slightly. It was cute how nervous she was.

"Yeah, I'll see you-" I stopped, what an idiot I was, she was the only girl that could take the words right out of my mouth. She nodded and smiled before turning around and walking down the hall. I saw her turn the corner to where her locker was and heard Amy ask where she was. She'd come to school early to talk to me.

"Hey, Petrov, get your British ass in here." Coach yelled from the doors. I smiled and turned on my heel before following coach inside.

"Coach?" I called. He turned and waited for me to speak. "I was thinking, what if at tonight's game we gave out our spare jersey's to the fans, you know to inspire some team spirit?" I asked him. He thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, you tell the boys to bring both jerseys tonight and when they read the team line up you can throw your jerseys into the fans. You better make sure you get them all back though or you'll have to pay for the new ones." Coach turned around after that and I heard him say, "Although with that new car you've been driving around in I don't think money is an issue." I laughed quietly to myself and continued to the court. I dribbled once and then shot from half court. I didn't have to look; I knew it was going in when it rolled off my fingers. I smiled and knew that today was going to be better. I'd regained a friend, I'd convinced the coach to do something, and tonight my girl would be wearing my jersey.

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><p><strong>Happy? They are talking and it looks like they both have some plans up their sleaves! What do you guys think will happen- Tell me in a review!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**You were all so good about reviewing that I decided to post this chapter sooner!**

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><p>"Hey, Brian, so change of plans, can we go to a basket ball game at seven tonight?" I asked. Amy still sat on the floor leaning against the lockers.<p>

"Um, sure, I guess."

"Great, it just sounded kind of fun, and then-" I paused momentarily trying to come up with a reason why he should take me home or out to dinner afterwards. "I'm supposed to spend the night at Amy's." Amy looked up at me confused. "Yeah, she'll be there, she'll bring me home." I said answering his question. I could tell that he was kind of upset but what could I say, oh by the way after the game I'm ditching you to hang out with my old boyfriend. I'm sure that would have gone over real well. "Yeah, you too, Bye." I said then hung up the phone and shoved it in my back pocket again.

"What was that about, Chloe?" Amy asked. "I don't want to go to the basket ball game tonight." She whined.

"You don't have to you can show up for the last ten minutes and pretend like your taking me home."

"What?" She asked confused. I rolled my eyes and pulled her up off the floor.

"I'm not actually spending the night, I'm going to hang out with Alek. I just didn't want to tell Brian that." I explained.

"What is this, some kind of booty call?" she asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what it is. We didn't do anything while we were dating but now that we split up all we do is make love to each other." I told her shaking my head.

"Don't tell me the thought has never crossed your mind." She shook her finger at me trying to play the stern mother.

"Oh I wouldn't be able to lie to my best friend." I told her as we walked down the hall.

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><p>"Can't keep her hands off of you can she, Petrov." One of the guys said when we were in the gym before school. I just shook my head and continued the pushups.<p>

"So, Petrov, how does she like it?" Another asked. Again I just shook my head knowing that to say anything would only egg them on.

"I bet she likes it rough- she seems like the kind of girl that likes a little bruising." Yet another guy said.

"Guys, this is why you don't have girlfriends and can't get laid. You stick your foot in your mouth. Don't talk about girls like that- especially ones that are my friends." I told them before getting up and going to the other side of the court. I shot a few hoops before heading to the showers.

The water cooled me off. I had been a lot more upset about their comments than I'd shown, but I know if I showed any of the emotions I was feeling it would only have continued. It probably still will for a little bit. Guys were stupid. I can't believe that that's the way some of them think. Sure, I make jokes and I may have gotten close with a few girls before I backed out, but I didn't think about girls that way. My mom had taught me to respect them and living with Valentina and Jasmine had taught me to fear them. As I shampooed my hair quickly I thought about Chloe. I'd make sure that she would get tickets in the front row so I could make sure she got my jersey, as a friend of course because that's what friends do.

I shook my head, it was silly but it was making me smile. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist before walking into the locker room. I went to my locker and was undoing the combination when I heard something move behind me. I turned around and saw Claire sitting on one of the benches. "how the hell did you get in the guys locker room?" I asked. She smiled seductively and came towards me. Her fingers played around the edge of my towel first where it was knotted at the front and then moved around towards the back.

"You know how I got in here, it's how I get in-" She looked down for a second, biting her lip, then looked up. "everywhere, kind of like you, if you wanted to." She smiled. I threw my head from side to side stretching my neck.

"We've been here before, Claire. You aren't going anywhere and neither am I. Look I don't want to do that. Go find someone else." I told her pushing her away from me. She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and continued to play with my towel. "Claire." I told her and pushed her back to the bench and sat her down.

"Alek, c'mon, I know you like to play but-"

"I'm not playing, Claire. You and I have never had sex, nor will we ever. I don't do that, especially with girls who have been with everyone in school."

"If it weren't for that virgin bitch Chloe King that you are needlessly chasing after you wouldn't have thought twice before having sex with me, right here and now."

"Don't talk about Chloe like that!" I yelled at her. I was breathing heavily and I turned around to catch my thoughts. I could feel her push her body against me. "Damn it, Claire. Go!" I grabbed her arm and led her to the door. I opened it and pushed her out the door. I ignored the rest of the students in the hall, scanning quickly for Chloe to make sure she wasn't seeing this. I wanted to make sure she didn't get the wrong idea. Luckily she wasn't, but everyone else in the hall was staring. "Stop stalking me, Claire. We aren't ever going to be together, not that way, not any way. Get that through your thick red skull." I told her and then shut the door to the locker room. I turned and saw the rest of the team.

"Does that mean I can tap that?" one of the guys asked. I sighed and stalked back to my locker to grab my clothes.

"Do whatever you want." I said.

I pulled my phone out and stared at the screen as the screen lock came up. I smiled at the screen. It was the picture of Chloe and I from the homecoming dance. It still made me stop and catch my breath. My friends made fun of me when they saw it because it was everywhere. My phone, my computer screen, on my wall, it was everywhere. It's what got me through not being able to be with her, although now it seemed that this would not be a problem anymore.

I couldn't stop smiling all day at school and when I saw Chloe at lunch I couldn't help but smile even more. She smiled back and waved before turning back to her conversation with Amy and Paul. I sat down at my normal table and watched her while I opened my coke bottle. "I thought you guys weren't talking." Someone said behind him before sitting down.

"Yeah, I thought that you two were broken up." Another voice said. My vision was filled with Erik's face and I could sense Jasmine sitting to my left.

"Haven't you heard, she misses our friendship. She's willing to put all the heartache aside so we can go back to that. Life is finally going my way again." I smiled and took a deep drink. Erik gave me an inquisitive look before he smiled.

"I'm not going to complain, I haven't seen you this happy in a while, man." Erik said laughing and picking up his hamburger.

"Same" Jasmine said elbowing me in the side. I smiled again. I knew that they were right, that I hadn't been smiling lately. I looked over at Chloe again and watched as she animatedly talked to her friends, how the light from the windows made her skin twinkle. Her hair stirred lightly with the air that was leaking in through the window. Then she saw me staring at her and she smiled pushing her hair behind her ear. I laughed to myself lightly and looked down and so did she. If my plan worked the way I wanted, this smile of mine would be hanging around for a very long time.

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><p><strong>So, yes it's a filler chapter, but I hope you like it anyway, and it was necessary. Hope you guys review because the next chapter is the game and it's gonna be explosive but unless I get lots of reviews I'm not going to post right away. <strong>

**Reveiws make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me even happier. Make me smile!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>Brian and I were outside waiting in line for tickets. There was a little nip in the air and Brian wrapped his arm around me. Ever since our first official date he'd become really clingy and touchy. I tried to shrug him away but he just held me tighter. I decided to give up and just let him do what he wanted, we were almost at the ticket booth anyway. When we got there the girl smiled and said "two tickets?" I reached for my purse but Brian grabbed my hand.<p>

"I've got it," he said and smiled handing the girl a $20.

"I was reaching for my school ID." I told him pulling it out and showing the girl. She nodded and gave Brian $15 back and handing us two tickets. I smiled awkwardly at Brian and he led us inside. We were about to go inside the court when the ticket girl ran up behind us.

"Wait, you're Chloe King, right?" she asked tapping me on the shoulder. I nodded and she held out two other tickets. "these were left at the ticket box. I was supposed to make sure that you got them. Their specific seats." She explained. I gave her a funny look but traded the tickets with her and then Brian and I went to find our seats. They were half court on the first row. Brian gave me a funny look and I just shook my head. I knew that it had to be Alek's work, but I wasn't about to tell Brian that. If there was one thing I'd learned from the movies it was that you never mention an ex- especially if he is doing things for you- to your current boy friend. We sat down and I looked over at Brian, he had been so perfect. He had made me feel special and he still did, but something about him was bothering me. I mean other than the fact that he'd called me about seven times today and left me just as many texts. He looked over at me and smiled. I blinked a few times and then smiled back. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine before settling back again. I faced forward and traced the lines on the court with my eyes and only looked up when I heard the pounding of feet and basketballs on the floor. I scanned the team for Alek and smiled when I saw him, I couldn't help myself. Alek saw me smiling at him and smiled back. He winked and then motioned with his hands. He motioned to the ball and then made a gesture like he was shooting, then showed four fingers and pointed at me before shooting. I watched as the ball caught in the net for a moment without even hitting the back board. That one had been for me. I smiled and looked down. I felt Brian staring at me and I looked at him and squeezed his hand. Out of the corner of my eye, however, I watched a particular blonde British guy who had stolen my heart- again…. Still- something like that. The other team came in and both teams sat down. The announcer started with the opposing team's line up and then ours. He announced four on our team, all who I knew were part of Alek's lackeys. They had all thrown their dark colored jerseys into the crowd. I hadn't been to many basketball games but I didn't think that was a normal occurrence.

"At 6'1'', a junior, and the team captain Alek Petrov!" Alek ran through the 'tunnel' of his teammates and around the court tossing his extra jersey straight to me. I caught it and gave him a look.

"Put it on." He mouthed. I looked to my left at Brian and then unrolled the jersey and slipped it on over my head. Brian's jaw was a little tense but his eyes were sad. He leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"Are you sure things between the two of you are over?" He asked. I nodded and tried to smile but I think it looked more like a grimace. The game was starting and we sat back and watched. I'd never really seen Alek play before, now I knew there was a reason he was team captain and our MVP since his freshman year. He was amazing. He always had control of the ball, he was quick and he could jump higher than guys who were six inches taller than he was. I couldn't help but cheer and clap every time Alek made a basket, and although I saw Brian frown every time I leapt from my seat, I didn't know why it was such a big deal. Everyone was cheering too and I was cheering for my schools team- part of it, a large part. That made it better didn't it?

The crowd started to count down with the clock as the first half came to a close. Alek had the ball and was being guarded by two of the players on the other team. He made a press for their side of the court dribbling the ball between his legs and around his back. When he got to the top of the key, or what Brian had told me was the top of the key, he faked a pass to his teammates and then pushed through to the hoop. The buzzer blared across the room as soon as he landed on the ground. Again, as I had for at least 20 other times I jumped to my feet and yelled for my friend. This time, however, he came over to me wrapping me in his arms and spinning me around in a hug. He was covered in sweat and although I had held my breath at first I found that he still smelled amazing. Alek set me down but still held me in his arms for a minute before Brian came over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Alek looked up at Brian and then back down at me.

"I'm glad you came." He said softly his breath catching slightly as he tried to regain his steady breath. Then he looked down at my chest and smirked. I followed his gaze and found the lion pendant he'd given me for my birthday. I'd never taken it off; it had caused me more pain to not have it on than it did to feel it hot on my skin. "You still wear it." He said fingering the pendant a moment before letting it fall against my breasts. I nodded and then turned as I heard someone call his name. He turned as well and then nodded. "I have to go, for a moment, but I'll be back." He said squeezing my arm lightly before jogging off to the coach. Brian stepped in front of me and picked up the lion pendant in his fingers and stared at it.

"He gave it to you?" He asked looking up at me. "I thought you said it was a birthday present."

"It was, it was a birthday present from him." I told him taking it from him. For some reason I didn't like him touching it. It and the memory that accompanies it belong to me and Alek and us alone.

"You aren't together anymore Chloe, you shouldn't wear it."

"I can wear it if I want to." I told him shoving it down my shirt.

"Chloe, I don't want you to wear it." Brian said stepping closer to me.

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><p>"Petrov, I've never seen the fans so excited. Your idea with the jerseys was fantastic. Now, next quarter I want you to put us even farther ahead, let's crush them." The coach said. I nodded but I was listening to the other side of the court.<p>

"Got it coach, I've got to say hello to someone if you don't mind." I said and then jogged back to where Chloe was. I could feel the unsettled feeling she had. Brian was very close to her and although they were dating –supposedly- she didn't seem very comfortable with him as close as he was. I'd been listening to their conversation and arrived in order to hear the last bit.

"Chloe, I don't want you to wear it." Brian said.

"Wear it if you want to, Chloe, a real man wouldn't care if you were wearing another man's gift." I said coming up next to Chloe. Brian looked up at me.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm just saying, man, that if you don't have the balls to feel confident because she is wearing a gift I gave her, you've got a problem." I said with my normal charm. I placed myself just in front of Chloe, enough so that no one noticed, but enough so that she was protected. Brian was angry and I could feel it radiating off of him. I didn't know if he would get violent, but people tell me that for whatever reason I encourage those like Brian and other boyfriends to hit me. I was still smirking as he continued to flush.

"Stay out of this, it's between me and Chloe." He said stepping towards Alek. He looked down at Chloe placing a hand on her waist. I wanted to hit him then but I held back. I had too much to lose if I hit him first. Chloe wouldn't be happy with me and I would risk our new friendship and I could get thrown out of the game. "Chloe, please take it off." He said.

"I don't want to. I like it." She said, I don't know if she did it subconsciously but she stepped back placing herself even farther behind me.

"Chloe, if you liked me and like what we have you'd take it off." He said but he was looking at me the whole time.

"She's not taking it off." I said smirking again. "Ultimatums usually back fire, you've got a lot to learn about relationships, mate." I saw his hands come up to shove me and instead of trying to block him I reached back finding Chloe with my hands so that when I stumbled back it wouldn't be into her. He did exactly what I thought he would and I stepped back to catch myself. I was severely unimpressed by his show of 'manhood'. I let go of Chloe and stepped forward. "How old are you?" I asked smirking again. "like 21?"

"What's it matter?" he asked.

"It matters because Chloe is my friend and if you hurt her in anyway," I laughed lightly, "it won't be a couple shoves in a high school." I told him. Again I saw the movement before it actually happened. He swung a fist at my head and I ducked and then shoved him away from me. I heard Chloe come forward and I put a hand back to stop her. She collided against me, my hand firmly on her stomach. The area around us was quiet as people realized what was happening. I held up another hand to keep Brian at bay. "Don't do this here, you want to fight, fine. We'll fight but it'll be later when Chloe isn't here." I told him. "But a real man, which we've fully established you aren't, wouldn't care and wouldn't be so immature as to start a fight, or make a girl change her jewelry because he was insecure."

"Alek, that's enough." Chloe said coming around and pushing Brian away. "You aren't going to fight." She said looking at me and then she turned back to Brian. "I think you should go, Brian." Brian's face fell as did his shoulders.

"Chloe," She stopped him.

"Alek can't leave he is playing in the game. Just go." She said.

"Chloe come with me. Don't stay here with" He stopped for a second giving me a look "him" He finished.

"I have plans with Amy later." She said looking to the side a little. I was confused for a minute and then realized she was lying. She gave him a slight shove and he finally turned and walked away.

The coach was calling me, but when Chloe turned around I went over to her. I motioned to the coach I'd be there in a minute and then put my hands on her arms. "Are you alright, love?" I asked. She nodded and smiled.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't be stressed. You have a game to play. I didn't know that he would- he's an idiot sometimes." She said shaking her head. She pushed her hair back from her face and smiled. I pushed a strand behind her ear and smiled back.

"As long as you cheer for me as loud as you can I think my game and I will be alright." I told her and walked her to her seat. She nodded and smiled coyly, her cheeks turning the soft pink I loved so much. I brushed her cheek with my thumb briefly before running back to the team. The rest of the game was amazing, I tuned into Chloe so that all I could hear was her amazing voice cheering me on. The rest of the people didn't matter. At one point one of the players blocked me on a layup and I ended up on the ground, I'll admit my ankle hurt a little bit because the big oaf landed on it but I'd be fine, however, hearing Chloe's little gasp and watching her hand move to cover her mouth made me smile. I laid there on the floor for a moment until I saw a hand shoved in my face. I took it and one of my teammates helped me up. We beat the other team 78-29, and when it was over there was one person I wanted to see. I turned around and found Chloe. I motioned with my head for her to come over and she ran towards me. I caught her in my arms and smiled.

"You did so good!" She told me kissing me on the cheek. Then we both stopped and looked at each other. I knew that we were both thinking the same thing. Both of our eyes were flicking between the others eyes and their lips. I slowly let her slip down to the floor but still held her in my arms.

"I'm going to go shower and change before we go out, do you mind waiting?" I asked. She shook her head and smiled stepping back.

"I'll be here." She said and sat down.

"Five minutes." I told her and then ran to take a shower.

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really happy. Review alot and I'll reward it with another chapter uploaded soon.<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**Guess what? You all are going to LOVE this chapter!**

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><p>I was sitting waiting for Alek when Mr. Jenkins approached.<p>

"Hello, King." He said sitting next to me. I looked up and smiled.

"Hi, Mr. Jenkins. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm well, as I see you are." He said. I smiled and blushed knowing that he had been concerned for me after I had my break down in his class room.

"I am, thank you. Thank you for all of your help." I told him meaning every word. There had been many times when I'd hidden in his office for ten minutes or so and he had never said anything.

"I saw you with your new- boyfriend?" He said questioningly. I nodded but didn't smile, I was a little confused and I know that I had brought it on myself. "Be careful with him, King. I know that Mr. Petrov broke your heart but he is a much nicer man than I fear your new friend is." I know my face had twisted into a look of shock and anger and I didn't mean any of them. Mr. Jenkins was a good friend and a mentor. "I'm sorry, King, I don't mean to upset you. It is only what I have observed." He said. "Be careful with your heart, King. It's worth protecting, and waiting for the one who will." He said before getting up and walking away. I stared after him thinking about what he said. I didn't understand. He'd heard the story of how Alek had broken my heart and yet he seemed to prefer Alek over Brian. I couldn't blame him, part of me still preferred Alek, that is why I was going out with him tonight even if it was only as friends. I trusted Mr. Jenkin's advice but I wondered what he saw in Brian that I didn't.

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><p>I'd never taken a shower that fast before and I threw on my light wash jeans and a long sleeve black Henley. I'd sort of tucked the bottom of my jeans into my combat boots but left them undone as I was worried about leaving Chloe for so long. I ran through the locker room back to the gym. I had my keys wallet and my phone all in my hands as I ran up to her. I stopped just outside the door, however, as I had to admire the beauty that was sitting down across the court from me. She still wore my jersey and she was sitting looking off to the side watching the far door. I walked forward eagerly and leaned down next to her. "You waited." I said smiling. She turned to look at me and smiled back. It was almost like nothing had ever gone wrong, like I'd never broken her heart.<p>

"Of course, I waited. We have a date- er I mean-" she stopped and scrunched her nose.

"It's okay, I knew what you meant." I said. She started to stand up and I tried to offer her a hand but they were full and she looked up at me and laughed. I laughed to as I shoved my wallet in my back pocket and my phone in my front pocket. Then I offered her my hand and helped her up out of the chair. "You look good in my jersey." I said. We were only a few inches away and I was looking down into her eyes and smirked.

"Yeah, I do." She said before turning and walking away. I stayed for a minute watching her in shock. Chloe had never been as flippantly flirty as she had been today. She turned around at the door and smiled leaning on the frame slightly. She placed a hand on her hip and gave me a very teasing sexy look. "Are you coming, or are you just going to watch my ass all day?" She asked raising an eyebrow. I just shook my head and walked over to her.

"Do you want to go for a coffee or dinner?" I asked her leading her to my car.

"Whatever, I'm fine either way. If you're hungry though-" She said turning around to face me when we got to the car. She leaned against the door right as I leaned around to open the door for her.

"Dinner, sounds great." I said. I stared at her for a minute raising an eyebrow and trying to figure out where this new and openly sexy Chloe had come from. She wrapped a hand around the one on the door handle and stepped forward. She expertly eliminated the space between us looking me in the eye the whole time and then softly squeezed my hand and pulled the door open. "Wha- Why-" I shook my head. She looked down for a moment, and I thought I saw the old Chloe- not that I don't like this Chloe. She'd shown flashes of being able to take me on when we were 'dating' but never in a million years would I have thought she was capable of doing this to me. Then she looked up at me and smiled coyly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kiss you. You'll have to take care of that." She said before walking around me and getting into the car. I coughed lightly, clearing the tightness in my throat. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about the tightness in the rest of my body. I walked around to the driver's side of the car and got in. I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot without saying anything.

"Um, does Delfina's Pizza sound alright?" I coughed out trying to control my voice from cracking. I barely kept it from doing so, and I know that I was blushing. I wanted to talk with Chloe, to really talk with her again like we used to. I would push through whatever exterior she was putting up and I'd find out what was really going on. This was Chloe, a happy confident Chloe, and although I liked this, and it was nice to be teased ever so often. It was the sweet and shy Chloe, the quietly confident Chloe that I fell in love with. I drove us to the restaurant and against my better judgment I went over and opened her door. I couldn't help myself. This was how she deserved to be treated. She only smiled and waited until I placed my hand on her lower back and led her to the door. The waitress seated us and took our drink order. Chloe had her nose buried in the menu and so I waited to talk. We could talk in after we'd ordered. I looked over the menu and decided on the Thai Chicken pizza and then closed it and laid it on the table. I stared at Chloe and I knew she noticed because she was blushing. She continued to look at the menu for a couple minutes before she put it down and leaned on the table looking at me.

"It's really nice to hang out with you again, Alek" She said. I nodded and then frowned.

"I mean, it's nice to be with you too, Chloe." I told her. We were quiet for a moment, but I decided to just plunge into what I wanted to know. There was so much, I wanted to know what she was doing with Brian, why she was being so flirty, why she had wanted to be friends again- I wanted to know it all. "Chloe, why did you tell Brian you had plans with Amy?" I said quietly. I was hesitant to ask, she could shut down and not say anything. She could get up and leave or yell at me, I could ruin what had just started. I had to know, I had to hear her answer those questions. "Why the lie?" I asked.

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><p>I knew that we were going to talk, I just never expected a question like that so quickly. "Chloe, why did you tell Brian you had plans with Amy? Why the lie?" He'd asked. He was staring at me now, waiting for me to answer. I looked down at my hands for a minute.<p>

"You saw how he acted with the whole necklace thing, he's a little insecure when it comes to you. If he'd found out that I cancelled our original plans so that I could hang out with you- he'd be crushed. I told him I was hanging out with Amy, he's a little sensitive about you for some reason." I said trying to look him in the eye the whole time.

"Why are you going out with him? He's not your type, he's like four years older and he's-" he stopped and looked away for a minute. "Why him?" He asked in a calmer tone.

"I don't know, Alek, he's nice and he's always there- he's not going to suddenly leave me." I said and then instantly regretted it as I saw the pain flash in his eyes. I looked down quickly closing my eyes and then looked up. "I'm sorry- I didn't" I started.

"No, I deserved that." He said then his eyes caught on something by the door and followed the two men that walked to a table not too far from us. "And you deserve someone who won't leave you suddenly. I wish that person could be, Chloe, I do. I wouldn't ever leave you if you asked me to stay, but the-" He stopped and looked back over at the table.

"Alek, who are they?" I asked watching the two men.

"They- They are-" He stopped working his jaw for a minute as he thought about his answer. I hated when he did this because I was never sure if the thing he was about to say was a lie or the truth. "they are my protectors." He said. The two men's head shot up and Alek turned around. He got up and went over to the table. He was leaning on one hand and talking quietly between them. When he came back to the table I could tell that he was tense but the men at the other table got up and left.

"Where are they going?" I asked turning in my chair to see them exit the restaurant.

"I told them to leave." He said.

"I don't really know how the whole protection thing works, and I don't know why you need protection but I think they are supposed to stay near you." I said turning back to look at the very confusing and mysterious man across from me.

"I don't want them to stop me from telling you what I'm going to." He said seriously. I looked at him, I know the fear and surprise showed in my eyes and that I was rigid. I took a deep breath and swallowed the tightness in my throat and leaned forward. "Chloe, I'm-" The waitress came over and Alek stopped. Alek looked both annoyed and relieved as we both ordered our pizza and then waitress left.

"You're-" I started telling him to continue.

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><p>I tapped my fingers nervously on the table, something I never did. I deserved to tell her the whole truth; she deserved to hear the truth. It would bring some kind of closure. "You're-" She said, offering me a new start. I was breathing heavily and my heart was pounding. I'd never told a soul about being Mai, no one who wasn't a part of our race knew.<p>

"Chloe, what I'm about to say, love, is hard for anyone to believe and I promise you I will answer any questions you have, any. But you have to let me finish. You deserve to know why I had to break your heart the way I did. I need you to understand that it hurt me just as much as it hurt you." Her eyes narrowed when I said that but she was listening and she would continue to listen.

"I'm part of an ancient race. It originated in Egypt, descendants of the goddess Bastet. We are called Mai, we are half cat and half human."

"Paul would love this." She murmured.

"I can see in the dark, I have claws, and super human strength. I also have nine lives- well initially I had nine lives. I have protectors because I'm what is called the Uniter and there are people that want me dead. There is a group of people called the Order. Their entire mission is to eliminate the Mai race, with me at the top of their hit list. Long ago Mai were the protectors of Pharaohs and the warrior race in Egypt, we were unbeatable but we got tired of taking orders and we broke our sacred oath. Ra cursed us. We were no longer able to mingle with humans like we had been. We were constrained to our own race. If we were-" I licked my lips. "intimate with a human it can have adverse affects on them, paralysis or death. Our-" again I had to stop, I felt like I was in my middle school biology class. " bodily fluids are poisonous to humans. That's why the Order after us, they think that we are a scourge that are a danger to humans. Yes, a few have disregarded the curse and did as they pleased but we are still protectors. That's why I couldn't kiss you, or do anything. That's why I had to break it off between us Chloe. I didn't want to, I lo- I think I loved you and I still do. I just - I couldn't take the chance with your life. I couldn't risk the chance that I wouldn't be able to keep myself from kissing you or from- I had to make a choice between breaking your heart or killing it." I stopped talking, knowing that all this information was an overload on her. She was confused and trying to process everything I'd just told her. The waitress brought us our pizzas, but they went untouched. "Chloe?" I asked.

"Alek-" She started her voice was choked with unshed tears that I could see glistening in her already sparkling eyes.

"It's okay, Chloe, whatever you have to say-"

"If you had- why did- If only-" She started tears streaming down her cheeks. I could feel the knot moving its way to my throat and the tears well up in my eyes. I blinked them back and waited for her to finish. "If you had told me, I would have understood. I've learned over the last few months, Alek, that I don't- I'd rather be with you and never be able to touch you, than to have to spend my life without you." She said. I blinked several times swearing that I had imagined what she said.

"Chloe-"

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really happy. Review and a chapter appears sooner. <strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

**Oh, I also just thought I should recognize that this story is named after a Christian Kane song. Another beautiful man that inspires my writting. Anyway, thought I'd mention that. This story also got started because of Natasha Beddingfield's "Touch" in case you didn't notice the first chapter is pretty much word for word (plus a few hundred) of her song. Anyway I dont own either of those but yes, enjoy!**

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><p>"Chloe, you don't- you can't mean that. Eventually you'll meet someone else, that can give you everything I so desperately want to, you'll fall in love and he'll be able to kiss you and- and make love to you." She blushed and I couldn't help myself. "I can't honestly tell you that I don't feel the same way, but I would always feel like I cheated you out of finding real love."<p>

"I want to cheat myself, Alek. You don't get it. Real love isn't the physical for me. I thought it was, I thought that all I wanted was to be kissed and swept off my feet. I didn't know that you could have one without the other, but you did Alek. You swept me off my feet and I've been trying to find the ground ever since but I can't. Brian he, he kissed me and it was nothing. His kiss didn't compare to the way I feel when you smile at me or you tuck my hair behind my ear. Never in a million years, of never touching you could all the love in the world from him compare. If I cheat myself out of that, I'll have cheated myself out of the worse fate I can imagine. I don't want to be in a relationship when all I can think about is us and what I would have missed." She said taking my hand in hers. I couldn't believe that she was saying this, it was like my world was finally coming together, but I couldn't accept it. I couldn't let her make that decision. She was 16 and there is so much out there, so many people she hadn't met. I looked at her, searching deep in her eyes. I could see her heart there, a heart that was fully exposed to me again.

"I'm not going to say no, love, because my heart won't let me. At any time though, Chloe, I want you to know that you can walk away. If you find love with someone else, I won't stop you from pursuing that kind of love." I told her squeezing her hand. I knew that if that day ever came my heart would break, I knew that I would disintegrate far faster than I had the last time. I also knew that I wouldn't stop her, I wouldn't keep her from finding that love. I'd pray every night after this to Bastet, that maybe out of some miracle, Chloe could become Mai, that the curse would be lifted.

"Alek, when we first met, I called you a white knight. You said no, I'm more of a grey knight-" She laughed slightly as she remembered what I'd said after that. "You aren't a grey knight, you aren't a white knight- you're a different kind of knight. One that I want to spend the rest of my life figuring out." She said. I smiled and laughed. "Now, can I see-" She said quietly dropping off. She picked up my hand and looked at my fingers. I smiled and forced my claws out. Chloe jumped slightly when they came out but then she reached a hesitant finger out and ran her fingers over them. I smiled as I watched her face fill with amazement. I moved one of my long claws along one of the lines on her palm. "Are they strong?" She asked. I had to smile a little bit as I thought about what to say next.

"Well, I certainly like it rough on occaision." Chloe looked up at me, her eyes wide with shock and a light pink covering her cheeks. Then she smiled lightly. "So, you can dish it out but you can't handle it." I said my smirk spreading into a full smile.

"I can dish it out just fine. I saw your face earlier, Alek Petrov, I felt your heart beat at the car. You could barely think straight." She said shaking her finger at me. I ducked my head, she was right.

"I was just playing. I didn't want you to feel bad." I said. She smacked my hand lightly and shook her head. When she stopped and I looked up at her she was biting her lip and smiling. "That really makes me want to kiss you." I told her quietly.

"Well-" She said dragging it out.

"Chloe, I just explained-" She shook her head.

"I meant on the cheek, hand, neck-" She dropped off and raised an eyebrow. I looked up at her and tried to smile but I know that the corner of my mouth was only twitching. "Whatever your lips find." She said quietly leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek. I sucked in a breath quickly as her lips met my skin and I felt her breath brush over my ear. "If you want to play with me, those claws are going to have to learn to play softly." She whispered before sitting down and picking up a piece of pizza. I sat still for a minute my mouth hanging slightly open as I stared at the table top. "Pizza's getting cold." She said as if nothing had ever happened. I picked up a piece of pizza and took a bite. I watched her as she continued to eat and smile at me. I looked down and then looked at her and smiled.

"I'm sure there are." I said.

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><p>He'd sent his protectors away.<p>

I was watching everything they said. He was as much as making love to her with his words and I could feel my heart burn as she fully reciprocated every word. How could a human fall in love with such a monster? He'd told her everything about his life, and she had responded with an undying love. She said that she would rather spend her life with him, never touching him than with anyone else. Who would make that choice. He was a monster, an animal. He deserved nothing more than to lay in a dark cold gutter, with a knife in his heart. I hated him, I hated his race, and I hated that he like so many others of his kind would kill another innocent human. Although she was not as innocent now, as she had been. She knew what she was doing, she knew what he was and although I was sworn to protect humans she would not come out of this unscathed. She was a ploy, she was the bait that would bring the Uniter to his end. I had been following them both for months, I'd watched every moment and I knew that he would not be able to resist coming to her rescue when I took her. He'd proved it already once tonight. He would lose all seven of his lives trying to save her. It would be to no avail, if she didn't die she would never be the same. After the torture that she would go through to slowly and painfully kill his spirit, she'd wish she'd died with him. I checked the knife at my belt and felt around in the belt pouch for the cloth I would need. They stood up and walked towards the door. They were smiling at each other and they held each other's hand. I pulled out my phone and dialed.

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><p>I had just opened the car door for Chloe when my phone rang. I saw the number and recognized it. I looked up at Chloe and then down at my phone. "I have to- I'll be back in a minute." I told her squeezing her hand. She nodded and I closed the door before walking away. I pushed the answer button on my phone and held it to my ear. I was over by the side of the building now, I didn't want Chloe to hear any part of this conversation, this number never brought good news to me.<p>

"Why do you try?" a quiet voice said. "I've taken everything you've ever loved from you, why do you continue to put people in danger." It taunted.

"Shut up!" I told the voice. "You won't take anything from me this time." The voice laughed a cold and maniacal laugh that turned my blood to ice.

"She's very beautiful-" the voice said and then there was an ear shattering noise that penetrated my super hearing. I dropped the phone from my ear as I clutched my head. But the noise persisted and I couldn't move, my head was pulsing and my ears felt like they were going to explode. I fell to my knees in pain. I fumbled for my phone to hang up the call, to make that noise stop. I pressed the 'end' button but the noise didn't stop. It was fainter now, and I was able to stand up. It still stung my ears but it was close, whoever had called me was in the vicinity. _"She's very beautiful-"_ that was the last thing the voice said before that noise started. I shook my head, trying to clear it. I ran back to the car, hoping that Chloe was still sitting in the front seat, but I knew as soon as I saw the open door of the car that she was gone. I could smell the chlorophorm on the ground. I looked into the car and in the seat back was a knife. When I pulled it from the seat I could see the dark liquid that lined the silver blade. They'd taken her alive, but they wanted to tell me they meant business. She was meant to be used as bait. They wanted me and they were using her. She was human. They were sworn to protect her. I followed the noise to a phone not too far away. I picked it up and stopped the noise that was now causing me pain again. I looked through the contacts and found one that said 'head quarters'. I pressed the contact and held it to my ear. I waited while the phone rang.

"I assume you have the girl?" a cold voice asked.

"You're correct, you do." I told them. Anger was bursting from every pore in my body and my claws extended and retracted as I flexed my hands.

"Uniter." The voice said.

"If you hurt her even a little bit, I swear I will kill every single one of you."

"All we want is you, she's free to go when you come to us." They said. I hung up the phone and snapped it between my hands. I threw the two parts of the phone as hard as I could. I got in the car and rummaged through Chloe's purse. I found her phone and slid the unlock button across. When the key pad came up I sighed. I tried the first thing that came to mind 2535 and was relieved when the main screen came up. She had used my name. I shook my head and focused on what I was doing. I opened her messages and touched the conversation that she and Amy had going. I quickly typed out a message before shoving the phone in my pocket.

**Chloe: Hey, can you call my mom and tell her that I fell asleep at your house and that I'm spending the night there.**

I was driving back to the apartment when her phone buzzed. I waited until I was in the elevator before I looked at it.

**Amy: Yeah, I guess. Why do you need me to do it? Why can't you call?**

**Chloe: You know I'm a horrible liar. If I called her and told her that she would know I was lying. **

**Amy: So, what are you really doing? I know you went out with Alek. Chlo, please don't tell me that this really did turn into a booty call.**

**Chloe: ;) **

I put her phone in my pocket and went into the apartment. "They took her!" I yelled. "The order took Chloe. They are using her as bait" Jasmine and Valentina both came out into the living room. I explained what happened to them as calmly as I could, but I knew that I yelled most of it. I was pacing back and forth as Valentina called the hunters. Jasmine tried to comfort me she had reached to put a hand on my shoulder at least twice but I had continued walking.

"I'm going after her. It's me they want, I'm the reason she's in trouble." I said. I grabbed my jacket and started to walk out the door. Valentina stopped me getting in between me and the door. "Don't try and stop me." I told her, I glared at my pride leader and my aunt daring her to try.

"I'm not going to stop you, we're going with you. The hunters will meet us there." She said. She looked over my shoulder at Jasmine and then her eyes flicked down a little. A second later she caught the long curved knife that was on the coffee table and slipped it in her belt. "The order has over stepped their own boundaries one too many times."

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really happy. Happiness is equivilent to the quickness of posting. <strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I'd never been so scared in my life. The only time I'd been this scared was when my father left. I'd felt so alone then, so vulnerable without my father. Yet something was different now. Although I was weak and I didn't know where I was, or even why I was here- where ever that was- I didn't feel quite so alone. I didn't understand it, but it was comforting and the only thing that was keeping me sane right now. I was sitting down in the corner of a large cinder block room. It was very hot and sweat covered my face. My hair was matted against my head and shoulders. I still wore Alek's jersey, having taken off my other shirt that was underneath. I had hoped that the cool fabric designed to keep the players cool would work here too, it helped but I was still miserable. My shoes and socks were next to me and my shirt was under me padding myself from the hard cement floor. I would have rolled up my jeans had they not been so tight at the ankles. There was a single door at the far side of the room, a single light that hung in the middle, and two small windows at the very top where air was supposed to come in and out. The air pressure in the room was too much for the air outside though. My head rolled against the wall and my eyes were barely open anymore. It was too hard. I don't know how long I'd been here, I'd woken up in this room and no one had come to see me. It was still dark, so unless I had slept through the day I had only been here for a few hours. Those few hours had been enough though. I was weak and tired. I think they had used Chloraphorm and it hadn't quite worn off yet. I kept hearing noises outside but I didn't know what they were and they never led to someone coming in. I'd started to drown them out focusing on only keeping myself awake. I had no idea why I was here, why they had taken me. I had no idea what they wanted me for, or what they would do with me. They had left me here for so long I'd begin to think that they had forgotten about me. When I'd woken up I'd found that there was a bandage around the palm of my hand and curious I'd unwrapped it. I'd found a three inch long gash across my palm. It was cut deep but nothing important felt harmed. I had wiggled my fingers to make sure and instantly regretted it as the pain had flashed up my arm. I'd rewrapped it carefully biting my lip to fend off the pain. I had moved to lean against the wall, which was where I was now. Images of Alek played through my head and I kept thinking about our last conversation. <em>My boyfriend was a superhero<em>. I smiled slightly, I'm sure I looked like I was insane. _Paul would love this_. I'm sure my insane little smile grew. Then it turned into a real smile as I thought about how our conversation had ended. Alek and I were back together, at least we were if I survived this. Maybe Alek would come save me; maybe he really would be my knight in shining armor. I must be delirious now, he was only 17. My head continued to roll from side to side; I wasn't strong enough to keep it upright. My eyelids were so heavy but it didn't matter what I could see through my lashes was blurry. The heat was clearly visible and made everything in the room hazy that was why when the door finally opened I thought it was just my imagination. I tried to hold my head up long enough to see who was coming towards me, but I couldn't. Strong hands caught my chin and made me look forward. I blinked trying to clear the blurry vision and only for a second saw anything clear. Unfortunately, it was the sight of fingers and a water bottle as he pulled my mouth open dropped a pill in my mouth and poured cool water down my dry throat. I couldn't do anything but swallow, I didn't want to do anything else. The water felt like nothing I'd ever felt before as it slowly slid down my throat. It was washing away the thick coat that had built up while I was asleep. I felt the pill slip down my throat as well and hoped that I wouldn't regret this- or maybe that I would live to regret this.  
>"That will wake you up just enough to be useful to us." I heard a voice say before they let go of my chin and left the room.<p>

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><p>We had been searching for almost two hours and there was no sign of Chloe. I had already cursed myself a million times for breaking that phone; I could have used it now to find Chloe. Valentina and Jasmine were tired of searching, I knew that. They weren't trying to hide it. We stood in a park now; they were sitting on a bench while I paced back and forth trying to find a scent, anything at all. We had tried all of the normal Order places and found nothing. <em>Brand New Day<em> started playing and I picked up Chloe's phone. I looked and saw a picture of Amy making a funny face on the screen. I hesitated for a minute before hitting the answer button and placing it to my ear.

"Chloe, your mom called and asked to talk to you. I told her that you were already asleep and that I didn't want to bother you but I don't think she was very happy. I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up here. Can't you like actually come over? I mean yeah, he's hot, I'm sure he's good in bed but come on, I don't like lying to your mom, I think she can tell." She spat out as fast as her tongue would let her. I would have smiled at the comment she made but now was not the time.

"Amy, Chloe can't she's been- kidnapped." I told her calmly.

"WHAT!" she screamed over the phone. I pulled the phone away from my ear but it still rang.

"I'm out looking for her now." I told her.

"No, you have to call the police!" She screamed again.

"No, Amy, trust me. I will find her. Do not call the police. Do not call anyone. Do you understand me?" I asked her sternly.

"Yes." She said quietly.

"Alright. I need you to give me as much time as you can with her mother. Got it?" I asked.

"Yeah, I got it." She said.

"Good, I've got to-" I started but she cut me off.

"Her bow." She said.

"I don't think she'll care about her hair, Amy."

"No, her bow. Like a bow and arrow. If you get it to her she can use it."

"Thanks, Amy." I said before hanging up. In any other world that would have been a silly suggestion. We were on a whole other medieval level. If Chloe could use a bow, I couldn't think why she should not have it. I shoved her phone back in my pocket and looked at Valentina and Jasmine. "Jasmine, I need you to go home and get the bow and arrows out of Valentina's office."

"Why?"

"Because Chloe can use them." I told her. She stood taking a moment to look at Valentina who nodded. Jasmine took off at a run back to the apartment and then Valentina stood and came over to me.

"I think it's time we go back too. We don't have a starting place, if the order means to play with us they will make sure to let us know where they are. They want you- they'll contact you to let you know where to come." She said laying a hand on my shoulder.

"No, I can't stop looking. She's in danger because of me. I have to find her. I have to. I'm her- her white knight." I said looking down at the ground.

"Wait for their call, they won't hurt her. She is human, they are morally obligated by their rules to keep her alive. Wait, nephew-" She was cut off by Chloe's phone ringing again. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the screen. It was an unknown number. I pressed answer and placed it against my ear. The same raspy cold voice spoke over the phone.

"She's here, She's fading quickly though."

"I told you what would happen if you hurt her." I growled.

"You better get here quickly."

"Where, tell me and I'll come." I told the voice.

"C.P. Kelly 1776." The voice said. I hung up and shoved my phone in my pocket. I looked at Valentina who was already on the phone telling Jasmine where to meet us as we took off in that direction.

By the time we arrived my lungs were burning. We crouched on the roof and although I was ready to go, Valentina wrapped a hand around my bicep. I looked back at her and she shook her head slowly. "We wait," she said. "Jasmine and the hunters will be here soon. We wait." She whispered loud enough for only me to hear. I turned my hearing to inside the building searching for any sign of Chloe. I heard a mixture of heartbeats but then I found one that was beating at a heightened pace. I zeroed my hearing in on the area around the heart beat and could hear the quick breaths and the light pacing. It was the rustle of jersey fabric that was the telling sign. She's there, she's alive. I ripped out of Valentina's grip and was in through the top window before she could stop me. I looked both ways down the hall and then ran for the stairs. The door slammed behind me as I took the stairs two at a time using the banister to launch myself around the corner. I came to a floor that had a sign on the door that said 1700-1800 and stopped. Valentina hadn't followed me, I hadn't expected her to. She would wait for the others. I put a hand on the door knob listening on the other side for anyone that would see me enter. I couldn't hear anything and so I quietly let myself in. I looked down both ways of the hall and then took off in the direction that seemed to be going toward the number the voice had told me. I was going as quietly and as quickly as possible, always checking for a sign of any guards before going around a corner. It was quiet. I turned another corner and came to an open area. I looked around and saw only one person standing there. He smiled and opened his hands gesturing to the area around him.

"You?" I asked astonished at who was standing there, who had orchestrated the kidnapping.

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><p><strong>Sorry, but I had to leave it there. Feel the suspense building? <strong>

**Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really really happy. Level of happines is = to the quickness of posting**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

****Sorry it has taken so long, I have been really busy and haven't been able to write so I'm rewarding all of your patience with uploading new chapters on all of my stories and a new story soon to follow, look for Death is like Chocolate!****

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><p>I cursed my nephew's impulsiveness. I had tried to stop him before he had entered the building but chasing after him would have only made more noise. Now, I sat on the roof listening inside. It was silent inside but for my nephew's soft footsteps. This worried me, the order would not keep the girl unprotected. I heard Alek speak but I also heard footsteps behind me. I turned drawing the saif from my belt. Three men stood behind me.<p>

"He said they'd come by the roof." One of them said flashing a wolfish smile. I stood up straight waiting for their attack. I swung the saif around in my hand. They stepped forward together. "Do kittie's really land on their feet?" The same man asked again.

"Human's don't" I snapped back, launching myself forward.

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><p>I couldn't believe my eyes, was the man I thought really standing in front of me.<p>

"Of course it's me. Who did you think it was you oaf? I'm surprised you didn't realize it was me when I first appeared. But then again, you were too busy being jealous of a girl you could never have."

"Show's what you know. Oh, wait. I bet you watched every word earlier tonight. You know that she chose me over you. She chose to live a life with me, a monster in your words, instead of with a human. I bet that is a real blow to your ego." I said. I could tell he was angry and my words only made it worse. I wanted him to run at me. I wanted him to attack me. I would have one more reason to kill him. To slit him from navel to nose and let his organs spill on the floor. "Where is she?" I asked dangerously quiet. Brian only smiled in response.

"We'll get to her. I'm not about to bring her out here so you can attempt some kind of rescue. I'm much more clever than you think. You see, I'll bring her out once you are restrained." He motioned with his hand behind me. I turned to see two men holding handcuffs, another stood behind them. I looked back at Brian and shook my head. I worked my jaw as the two men wrenched my arms behind me and closed the metal wrings around my wrists. "That's better." Brian sneered still staying at the distance he was.

"I want to see her, and talk to her." I yelled.

"Sure enough." Brian said and nodded to one of the men behind me. The man pushed past me quite violently and went down a hall behind Brian a short ways. I saw him open a door and step inside. A few seconds later he brought out Chloe. She was sweaty and scared and she seemed to be a little jittery. I could see his hand on her arm and growled lightly.

"Alek!" She yelled when she saw me. She tried to run to me but the man's grip on her arm held her back. She didn't seem to be hurt. She had a bandage on her hand but was otherwise unharmed.

"Chloe." I said softly. Again she tried to run to me but the man hauled her back again.

"Let her go." Brian said softly. The man's hold on her arm softened and Chloe pulled out of it. She ran to me placing her hands on my chest. I wanted to embrace her in a hug and tell her it was going to be okay, but the handcuffs restricted me. I moved my head down next to hers.

"You're okay?" I asked her. She pulled back a little and looked up at me. She nodded and ran her hands down my arms. When her fingers touched the cold metal she pulled back and her eyes grew wide.

"Ale-" She started but I cut her off.

"You look good in my jersey. Crimson is a good color on you, love." I said smiling at her. I knew that my smile was full of worry and sadness.

"Are they the- the Order?" She asked. I contemplated lying to her, but decided it would do no good.

"Yes. Listen to me Chloe. I want you to leave, I want you to go home. When you leave this building I want you to go straight home and never look back. Do you understand?"

"Alek, I don't- I don't want to leave you. They'll- they'll kill you."

"Which is why I want you to leave." I told her. Her hands were on my chest again as she clung to my shirt.

"That won't be necessary." Brian said. Chloe looked over her shoulder and gasped.

"You?" She said.

"Yes, Chloe, I'm sorry I had to deceive you. I never wanted you, I wanted your boyfriend." He said smiling evily.

"What do you mean it's not necessary?" I asked him.

"I mean, She's not allowed to leave. You see, she made a decision. It's the same one we were discussing earlier, actually. She chose you, knowing full well the kind of monster you are. The Order has decided that she should see just how animals are when they are cornered."

"Damn you, you self righteous ass!" I yelled. "Run Chloe," I told her. But the men behind me stopped her, again taking hold of her arm.

"You know what to do with the girl." Brian said. The man that had held Chloe earlier came and took her holding both of her arms now. The two men that still held me pushed me forward towards Brian. He pulled out a long knife and let it glint in the dim light. "How many times- how many times will you feel the bite of this steel?" Brian mused.

"It doesn't matter how many times. One time wont compare to the pain that I will make sure is inflicted on you." I growled. Brian laughed lightly and shook his head. He changed his grip on the knife. "Chloe close your eyes!" I ordered. I turned to see if she had. The men behind me forced me to my knees. Chloe had tears in her eyes. "Close your eyes, Chloe. Don't watch." I told her again but she shook her head and took in a deep breath.

"I love you, Alek. I told you I wanted to spend the rest of our lives together; I'm not going to waste one minute with my eyes closed." I closed my eyes and shook my head. She was stubborn and had a strength that surpassed any I'd ever seen.

"Damn it, Chloe. Please, I'm not strong enough for you to watch." I told her.

"How sweet-" Brian drawled.

"You are the monster!" Chloe yelled. I could hear her fighting against the man that held her. I saw Brian raise the knife. "You swear to protect humans, you are a liar. You are not protecting anyone! You kill out of revenge and over a stupid ancient oath. Don't you get it? Mai aren't-"

"Shut up!" Brian yelled at her.

"Never!" Chloe shouted back. She continued to struggle against the man's hold on her arm. "If you kill him, you will never ever stop hearing from me. You'll have to kill me to shut me up."

"That. Can. Be. Arranged." Brian said slowly and coldly. Chloe was quiet but she still continued to uselessly struggle. _Where were Valentina and Jasmine?_ I thought as I glared at Brian. I heard as each tear fell from Chloe's face and splashed on the cold cement floor. There were so many things that he wanted to tell Chloe. He knew that he would come back to life, that he would come back over and over but he knew that he would never be given the chance.

"I love you, Chloe. Never forget that." I said as lovingly as possible. Brian sneered and scoffed before raising the knife just a little bit higher. Then he began to lower it. I waited for the knife to plunge into my chest, for it to slide neatly between my bones and pierce my heart. I heard a yell and then a flash of crimson and felt nothing. I looked to the side and saw Chloe struggling on the ground with Brian for the knife. It took me only a minute's thought before I jumped to my feet knocking both of the guards behind me off their feet. I jumped again this time bringing my handcuffed hands under my feet so they were in front of me. I kicked one of the guards in the head and slit the other's throat when he jumped to his feet. I looked to see where the guard that had been holding Chloe was and was knocked to the floor. The huge man's weight pressed me to the floor, but what made him a heavy and strong fighter made him slow. I slipped out from under his bulk and stood up looking over to Chloe and Brian who still wrestled for control of the knife I started to help her but as I took a step a hand wrapped around my ankle and I fell. When I looked up Brian had used his weight to roll over but his hands slipped on the slick floor and his weight fell on Chloe. She gasped and I scrambled, my claws scraping the floor in my desperation to get to her. I kicked back striking the man in the face with my boot and scrambled forward. I pushed Brian to the side and stared down at Chloe. I hit my knees and took her hand that was groping around for me in mine. The worst that I had feared had happened. Chloe was dying because of me. The knife that was meant for me was now buried to the hilt in my beautiful Chloe's chest.

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really happy. Happiness= the quickness of posting. You know what to do. <strong>

**Chapter 20 is a big one, a really really really really really big one. YOu are gonna want to review alot if you want it quickly**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>There had been more than just two people on the roof. I had expected to see only Alek and my mother. Instead I could see at least seven people on the roof. The Order had been prepared for the Uniter to not walk in alone. When I arrived with the hunters my mother was far from well. She was not hurt, but she was barely holding her own.<p>

One man lay on the ground bleeding from a deep gash in his throat. There were six others cornering my mother and I could hear more running around inside the building. Whether they were coming up to the roof or not I wasn't sure. I assessed the situation so that I could effectively direct the hunters. I paused and looked around. Something wasn't fitting. Something was missing. I hadn't noticed before because I was so used to him being with me. Alek was nowhere to be seen. My heart jumped in my chest as I began to panic. He was the uniter, what if he had been killed? What if he had been taken? A million different scenarios played through my head.

I heard one of the hunters claws slide in and out as they waited for my command. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath for only a second. I looked back over my shoulder and saw the many men and women who were ready to risk their lives, I trusted them with my life. I trusted Alek's life in only my hands. I signaled for the hunters to attack and then ran to the roof where my mother was fighting. The hunters on either side of me followed, instantly springing into action against the order. I signaled the hunter closest to me to follow me down the stairs into the Kelly building.

I was going to find Alek, hopefully before he lost another life. I knew deep down that he had rushed into the building to find Chloe. He would have recklessly and without thinking ahead run to her rescue. It was why he was the uniter, I supposed, but losing a life to save one human- even a human that he loved- was beyond my understanding. I hoped for a minute that one day I would understand how he felt for Chloe, but to do that I had to get out of here alive and that meant making sure Alek did. Kieth was on my right shoulder as we sprinted down the stairs. We were both listening to the building trying to find where Alek was. We came to a floor that was marked as 1700-1800 and tried to open the door. It was locked or blocked somehow, and I struggled against it. I had the ancient bow slung across my shoulders and I had to say that I had found it more of a nuisance, especially now. I wanted to throw my body against the door but I had to remove the bow. It had belonged to the first Lady of Slaughter. It was one of the many artifacts my mother had collected over the years. Kieth put a hand on my shoulder as I tried to pull the bow off of my back and I stepped aside as he thrust his weight against the door. It budged a little but he continued to fight against the door.

I wanted to know what was happening on the roof and make sure that my mother was alright, but I had a job here. I was tapping my foot and looking every which direction as my nerves were starting to catch up with me. They only accelerated though when I heard Alek roar. I knew that Mai were capable of roaring, but I had never heard it before. Kieth and I froze for a minute, I listened as everyone with it hearing distance stopped. It was sad and mournful, filled with pain. It broke my heart to hear my cousin make such a sound. The urgency I had been feeling to get to him tripled in those few seconds. "Knock it down" I commanded. Kieth continued to pound his shoulder against the door, which only relented its hold inch by inch. Again, Alek roared but this time it was full of power and anger. "Damn it" I muttered under my breath. Kieth threw himself against the door one last time and it was finally wide enough for us to slip through. Kieth went first and then I followed. The bow, again, got in the way and I had to back up take it off my back and then slide through handing the bow first to Kieth. I slid through taking the bow back as soon as possible. We ran through the halls following the noise of the battle.

We slid to a stop as we entered an open room. Four men lay on the ground dead another smaller form was crumpled on the ground near the corner. Alek held a man against the wall. I walked over to him and pulled his shoulder back. "I've got him, he won't go anywhere." I threw the bow and quiver on the ground and heard it skid but didn't look. I extended my claws and took Alek's place in holding the man against the wall. Alek in turn walked slowly over to the small form in the corner. He was on his knees as he pulled the small body up into his arms. I turned back to the man and sneered pressing my arm against his throat lightly.

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><p>She had died because of me anyway. I had been the cause of her death. I had done everything in my power to keep her safe, to keep her alive and I'd still failed. Blood soaked her shirt and her eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling. I hadn't been here when she'd breathed her last. Brian had attacked me and I'd had to leave her. I held her, rocking her limp body in my arms. I ran my fingers through her hair and ran a thumb over her cheeks. The warm rose color that usually adorned her cheeks were now ash. I closed her eyes with my fingers and leaned down and kissed her. There was no fear in killing her now. My heart was breaking all over again. This was the last straw, she was the last person the Order was going to take from me. I heard a light buzzing noise and snarled. I laid Chloe's body on the cold cement floor and stood up. I stalked over to Brian and slashed my claws across his face. He just laughed.<p>

"More are on the way." Kieth said. I nodded. I knew they were. Brian had found a way to call backup. Jasmine looked at me questioningly.

"Don't let him go. I deal with him when this is all over." I said dangerously quiet as I took my place next to Kieth. We faced the entrance into the large open room and waited. Ten men of the order entered and immediately seeing Brian's predicament attacked. They rushed us and we were hard pressed to keep them all on one side of the room. I slit one's throat immediately, and then caught one by the arm and twisted. Kieth and I were fighting for our own lives and for Jasmines who still held Brian against the wall. I didn't care what happened to me, but I wouldn't let anyone else I cared about suffer at these scum murders hands. I had one man by the front of the shirt holding him away from me while I fought with another. I heard a roar and then it was cut short. My head snapped towards Jasmine and I saw her against the wall a long ugly knife at her neck.

"That's right, you're going to stop now if you want her to live." Brian yelled. I let go of both men's shirts and stepped forward. "Don't move" Brian said. I stopped. Kieth did as well. His hands were instantly pulled behind his back. Two men started to do the same to me but Brian shook his head. "He's not going to do anything." He smiled and shifted so that Jasmine was in front of him. He drew the knife lightly across her neck an inch. A line of blood blossomed on her neck and a single line trailed down her neck. Jasmine and I looked at each other. I wanted to tell her I'm sorry, that I wish that it was me in her place. All she did was look at me with strength and determination. She was prepared to die. Everyone was prepared to die for me, I was the one that was unprepared. I was the one that couldn't lose them. "Are you done trying yet?" Brian asked. "Are you done hurting the people closest to you? I believe that this is your cousin correct?" He asked. "And this fine man here next to you is another of your protectors. You have six lives, correct-" It was a rhetorical question. Brian liked hearing himself talk. "how many people have died for you? How many protectors have given their lives to save yours? Can you see their blood on your hands, do you think about their families as you fall asleep at night? What about Chloe she died for you, she'll never get married or even graduate high school because of you. What about you-" He said whispering in Jasmine's ear. "What's your story? How will you haunt him?" He said running a finger along her jaw. "You better do it fast because his six lives will be lived in only a few hours."

"That's fine." I told him. He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. "Let her and Kieth go. I'll stay, I won't fight. They leave now though, and they leave the area, all your men stay here. You can do whatever you want with me." I said

"Hmm, that's what you said earlier." Brian said. I could see him press the knife a little harder into Jasmines neck. She didn't even flinch.

"You were the one that didn't comply with that." I snarled. I took a step forward and he pulled Jasmine closer.

"Don't take another step or everyone dies." Brian yelled. I could see the panic in his eyes and hear it in his voice. He wasn't accustomed to doing the dirty work himself. For the first time tonight I could see the remorse for killing Chloe. He'd been on a job but he had still cared for her in some twisted way.

"You've asked me if Chloe's death will haunt me, it will long past death it will haunt me. You, however, will get to live with her blood on your hands. You killed her, you drove the knife into her body. How are you going to live with that? We are Mai, it's your life's mission to kill us but Chloe, she was human. She was innocent." I told him.

"It won't haunt him for long." We all heard a voice say. I didn't have time to turn around to see who spoke before I heard a high whistle and a crack. My eyes went back to where Brian had been standing. An arrow stuck out of his forehead and Jasmine was standing wiping the blood from her neck. I heard six more whistles and six cracks in quick succession trying to follow the flurry of arrows before turning to see where they were birthed. What I saw blew my mind and brought me to my knees. The figure before me was as fear inspiring as anything I'd ever seen. The bow came alive in her hands and the arrows burst into flames as they left the bow. Sekhmet's gift had appeared, she had protected me. She stepped forward and pulled me to my feet. I looked into her eyes as she did mine. Everything inside me, starting deep in the pit of my stomach, pulled me towards her. I looked into her eyes and saw a fire there. Her unwavering gaze burned deep inside me and then she crashed her lips against mine. I had waited so long, I'd never imagined it would happen but everything that I had ever read about Sekhmet's gift was true. We were meant for each other, and all thoughts of any other before her were gone.

"I figured it was okay to do that now." She said quietly.

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really really happy. Make me smile- like I even need to ask on this chapter...<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>I wiped the blood from my arm and glanced briefly at my hand and the blood that glistened there. I looked around the roof and took an assessment. The order was dead, a few of my hunters were hurt but none were dead. I stood for a minute to catch my breath; these battles were not as easy as they used to be. I didn't hear anything inside the building. I didn't know if that was good, or that meant the two people that meant the world to me were dead but I didn't have the strength to move right now. I had lost a lot of blood. The gash on my blood was sluggish now but the gash on my thigh was still bleeding profusely. I tried to lower myself to the ground but I ended up simply collapsing. As I sat my vision started to blur and I felt myself sag backwards. I knew what was happening, I knew that I had to focus on something. I searched my mind and grabbed the first thing. The Bow, Sekhmet, healing powers, lady of Slaughter. I kept thinking about it but I could feel my brain clouding more.<p>

_"I hear you, sister"_ I thought I could hear someone say. Finally all went black and my body relaxed completely. _"You were right to think of me. I will sustain you here until I can reach you." _ Something in me nodded and then settled.

"I don't understand who you are, what you are…" I said in my mind. I heard a light chuckle.

_"I am Sekhmet. I am your sister race. I am not the same, but I am not difference. You on earth are called Mai, you are descendant from my sister Bastet. I am too powerful to have my own race. Ra has forbidden me to enter earth for more than a lifetime. That's why there is only one of me, one promised. This time though, my sister has granted me something I have longed for, a mate that is all mine. Ra has never seen the power that will come from this gift. I am the Lady of Slaughter, the one before whom evil trembles, fire follows my arrows and blood drips flows from my hands. Gods fear me, humans fear me and yet I am the only one who can heal them." _The laugh this time was harsher but none the less as soft and caring.

"So you are not mai?" I asked feeling stupid for asking.

_"No, and Yes. __I am mai in appearance on earth because of Ra's command but I am more powerful than you have ever seen."_

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter make me really really happy. Make me smile!<strong>

**It's short I know, but I felt like I needed to explain a little bit more about what Sekhmet was. I've been getting lots of comments saying that you were glad Chloe is Mai. I'm not saying that she is Sekhmet, i'm not saying anything of the kind. But I felt like I hadn't explained the difference to you all. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I dont own the Nine Lives, only my original ideas and a deep addiction to this show that is fed by writing.**

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><p>Erika, Jessica, Angela, Claire, Mimi, Sierra, Chloe they were all just names to me now. Every single one of them – well most of them- had meant so much to me at their own time. They meant nothing to me anymore. I could hardly remember any of their faces much less anything we had done together. Even Chloe, who was the newest of them that not ten minutes ago had been all I thought about, was all but forgotten from my mind. All that mattered was this girl standing in front of me. The girl with her hands on my cheeks and her cat slit eyes boring deep into my soul. I'd never had anyone look at me the way she did. No one had ever looked that deep into my soul and not turned away. I felt like my soul was settling as she continued to look at me. Like all of the turmoil I'd felt for so many years was stilling. I stared at her and I felt as though I'd never met her and at the same time I'd felt like I'd known her my entire life. She felt new and old all at the same time. I felt like she had been in my heart forever and yet she was a new love. I raised my hands to her arms running my fingers over her warm velvety skin as I traced the muscles in her shoulders and then down her sides, the curve of her hips brought a slight tremor to my hands. My fingers rippled over every inch of her back as I explored her through the fabric of her red clothes. I skipped up to her hair for a few seconds fingering the thin separated red curls among the blonde. My hands continued to explore up her back as she continued to gaze into my eyes. She blinked and it felt like the world stopped around us, I knew that that was cliché but it was true. I broke away from her gaze and looked around the room. Nothing moved. No one breathed. We were the only one alive in this room. I had seen the flurry of arrows she had released from her bow. I'd seen the flames, I'd heard the crack and I'd smelled the blood. Now, she was as gentle as a butterfly. She was still and unwavering as we stood together. I looked back at the goddess in front of me and smiled. She was indeed a goddess, if not by actual blood; she was far beyond any of the humans or demigods that I had seen. I'd never been so happy in my life as I was right now. Standing here with her, no words spoken, nothing going on around us, this was what heaven was it had to be. I didn't know of anything that could be better. No one had ever made me this happy. I continued to explore her back with my hands when my fingers grazed something on her shoulder. It was cooler than the rest of her skin. It was icy and burned under my touch but it was a good burn. It was a burn that hurt but I knew I would continue to go back to over and over again. Her eyes never moved the entire time. I traced the cold place on her shoulder and realized that I recognized it. It was in the shape of an arrow. I smiled She was a completely different person in so many ways but she was still the same Chloe I'd fallen in love with. Somehow, all of my wishing and dreams, all of my prayers had been answered in the most amazing way possible. She blinked again and things began to move around us again. She smiled, brushed a hand against my cheek and then stepped around me.<p>

"Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. I don't know what Alek would have done without you all this time. I'm afraid I took longer in getting here that I had anticipated. I believe thanks are in order for you as well, Jasmine." She said turning to my cousin. Jasmine simply bowed her head in a small bow as did Kieth Jenkins.

"It was the least I could do, lady." Jenkins said quietly and reverently. She nodded her head in a return of a bow. She was regal and commanding even in my bloody and cut up basketball jersey. She walked towards the entrance to the large room and stopped over Brian's body.

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><p>I looked down at the now cold and pale body of my once friend. My arrow was firmly imbedded in his skull. His eyes stared blankly and his hand still loosely grasped a knife. I knelt down and closed his eyelids with my fingers. His death brought tears to my eyes. All death brought tears to my eyes. I was the lady of slaughter and flame, I had been for many centuries, but I was also the goddess of healing. I fought only to protect my Uniter. All other violence was rash and unneeded. I quickly pulled the arrow shaft from his head and touched the wound with my fingers. I watched it close up, bind itself back together. I made sure to not go any further than the skin. As much as I was saddened and devastated by this loss of life I did not want him to come back. He presented a threat to my Uniter, and that I could not stand for no matter the price. I stood up once it was done and looked around. Jasmine and Mr. Jenkins who had acted as Alek's protector until now both stood awestruck. Alek simply watched me. "Let's go home." I said. "Your mother is waiting for us on the roof." I smiled at Jasmine, who up until this point had forgotten all about her mother. She started and ran for the stairs. Mr. Jenkins followed her. Alek came up to my side and brushed my hand with his. I looked up at him and smiled lacing my hands with his. Everything looked different to me. I'd never seen the world like I did now. Things were sharper, things were clearer and more full of color. Alek's face shone to me. He had a gold aura about him, nothing strong, it barely reached outside of his body but it was there. He smiled down at me and then reached a hand up to my cheek.<p>

"Your eyes-" He started staring at them "They are so, different." He said quietly.

"How so?" I asked just as quietly, knowing that he would hear me just as I heard him. We could barely breathe a word and we would be able to hear it. I knew that all of these things should shock me. The healing, the hearing, the sight, even the things that I had yet to find out; they should be shocking and I should be having some kind of a melt down or at least asking questions. Yet there was no doubt, no fear in my mind at all. I was two people in one body. I was Chloe, the girl I'd been for sixteen years now but I was also Shensa, the protector for eternity. That's how long I was bound to the Uniter, that was how long I had lived, and it was that many years that I could remember. I may not have lived very long in this life but I had a million other lives that I could draw from. None of this surprised me. Although I did not out rightly know most of it was a part of me somehow.

"They are a clearer blue than I've ever seen, and their- their slitted. They haven't changed." He said.

"They won't. Unlike the Mai, my eyes are forever like the goddess' we come from. It's so I can watch you better." I told him. I pulled his hand down from my cheek and kissed it lightly. "We have a lot to talk about. But it can wait." I told him again kissing his hand. "Tonight I want to lay in your arms like I've dreamed of for a thousands of years." I smiled and pulled him away. I pulled him to the stairs walking slowly backward as he followed me. All of my senses swirled around me. I didn't have to look to know where I needed to go. I could feel the walls around us. I could feel them pushing against us. I needed to get out. The only constraints I wanted were those of Alek's arms. I pushed open the door to the roof and pulled Alek out with me. We stopped, Alek looked to the corner of the roof where there was a crowd of people. We pushed our way through and found ourselves over Valentina. I leaned down placing a hand on first her leg which carried the worse of the wounds and then her arm. The wounds knit themselves together as did the muscle and the veins that had been severed. She would be as good as new in a few moments. She had payed the price, she had paid the blood. I felt her heart beat steady under my fingers and pulled away. "Back up, giver her space." I said. Everyone stepped back and Jasmine sent most of the hunters home leaving just the five of them. Valentina's eyes fluttered open and she pushed herself to a sitting position. It took her a moment but soon she was on her feet. Alek was instantly embraced by Valentina. Her black curls flying around her face as she wrapped her arms around him in a hurry, using his body as a break to her flurry. She murmured in his ear, asking him if he was okay. She asked him how he got out, and what happened. He only pointed at me. She turned at stared at me.

"Shensa," She said bowing low at the waist.

"Please, I prefer Chloe." I said. I wasn't sure if that was true, I had so many names that there was no way to prefer one over the other. Chloe, however, was the name I went by here in this life and I figured that it would be hard to explain why I no longer was called Chloe. Valentina nodded and turned to her nephew.

"I told you that Sekhmet's gift would satisfy you, my nephew."

"Only because she's Chloe." He said smiling. He had never let go of my hand and now he squeezed it lightly. "Let's go home. Almost dying is exhausting." He said. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"You should try actually dying." I said smirking. I turned and walked away trailing Alek behind me. He caught up wrapping his arm around my waist. He turned me into him as we continued to walk.

"I have, it's not that fun. You see, my protector arrived a little late." He said smiling against my ear.

"She was busy." I smiled back.

"Oh, with what?"

"Keeping her head around a certain British Mai whose devilish good looks and smart ass mouth often leave me gaping." I told him. He laughed full and hearty.

"Hmm, well if you don't mind I'd love to leave you gaping tonight as well." He said running a hand down my side.

"Just because we can, doesn't mean we will. I meant what I said at the restaurant. Love is not physical for me. I would still go my whole life without touching you if I had to as long as I could be with you. Luckily for us that's not the case anymore but that doesn't mean I'm going to give in so easily, big boy." I smiled and kissed his cheek before breaking into a run. Alek followed easily coming to stride with me as we cleared roof after roof. This was better. This was free. This was what I was used to. I'd have to learn to remain indoors, in close quarters; it would not do any good for me to be claustrophobic. We arrived at Alek's penthouse and stopped on the roof. Alek looked at me, pulling my hand lightly towards the door. I smiled and shook my head.

"Chlo, love, are you-" He started.

"You're safe, my job tonight-" I stopped seeing a slight pain cross his face. "my pleasure of saving you tonight, is done. It's time I go home. Even a thousand year old Shensa has a curfew which, I have effectively missed by almost eight hours." I said pulling away from him. All Alek did, however, much to my confusion, was smile.

"You see," He started pulling me towards him and walking us back towards the door, "I've taken care of that. You're spending the night at Amy's." He smiled kissed me lightly and then closed the door behind us.

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the chapter itself make me really happy. Make me smile!<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**I want to sincerely apologize to everyone about not updating anything recently. And I apologize again for this not being a chapter… I've been really busy, but Spring break is coming up and I plan on writing a whole bunch for you all! **

**And just to keep you all excited here is what is going to happen in the next couple chapters of each story! **

**Across Different Worlds: **

****"I dont feel good about this." I whispered to Alek. They were inside the police office but right across the street was a man who had watched them since they left the apartment.

"Chloe, do you recognize him at all?" Alek asked hushed. Hank came over seeing how uneasy the two were.

"Everything all right?" He asked following their gaze out to what was now an empty doorway across the street.

"Maybe." The two mai responded. They looked at each other, both of them wondering where they could have possibly seen the man across the street before, why he was watching them, and why Hank seemingly couldn't see him.

**Different Kind of ****Knight:**

I looked at myself in the mirror the next morning. "Chloe" I whispered to myself. The name was foreign in my mind and familiar on my tongue. I pulled my hair up in random places admiring the red streaks in my blonde curly hair. It meant I was my old- new- I was Sekhmet again. They were only a faint strawberry red right now, but I knew they would darken and lighten according to the blood. They were my power markers.

"CHLOE!" My mom yelled from down the hall. I dropped my hair and walked out into the hall. I leaned against my mother's bedroom door way and looked in. Meredith was sitting on the bed listening to the news. Pictures of Brian Rezza were flashing across the screen. The headlines read, "Boy found dead in an abandoned warehouse" and "Boy killed by a mysterious hole through the brain." Meredith looked over at me, her face stricken with grief and concern. "Are you alright?" She asked. I looked at the screen. I knew that I had killed him. I had done it as part of my duty, I had killed him and I didn't feel guilty about it at all.

"I'm all right." I said quietly.

"But, Chloe, he was your first kiss- he means something to you"

"I don't want him to by my first kiss." I said crossing my arms.

"What?" Meredith asked puzzled.

"I want last night, with Alek, to be my first kiss."

**Life Lost and Gained:**

"Don't you see, Amy, now he will have to marry me." Chloe said.

"Chloe, don't be silly. Don't force him to marry you by getting pregnant." Amy told her. "Let him propose when he wants to."

"Well..." Chloe dragged out. Amy studied her friend.

"Chloe-?" She questioned. "You aren't"

"He will have to propose now. I didn't do it on purpose either, it just happened. But it happened, and now I'll get exactly what I want."

"I swollen belly and a kid you cant take care of by yourself." Amy asked.

"No, him. Forever and completely mine."

**I hope you like these sneak peaks. I will have new chapters up for all of these stories within the next two weeks! hope you enjoy!**

**Reviews make me happy, real reviews about the post make me really happy. Make me smile.  
>As Always I do not own The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Just a deep addiction for the show that is fed by writing fan fiction. <strong>


	24. Chapter 24

**So this is yet another apology. **

**And you guys really aren't going to like this. But I just no longer have the time or the creativity right now to put the effort into these stories. **

**I'm not saying that they will never be finished, or that this is the end of MAIGRLCHLOE but for now I just don't have the energy. **

**I'm really sorry, and I hope you forgive me. I promised myself that I wasn't ever going to do this but I just cant finish them right now. **

**Sincerest apologies,**

**MAIGRLCHLOE**


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